You Will Never Walk Alone
by Ana the Romantic
Summary: Six years later and the girls now have careers. More ooze is found and the guys aren't the only mutants anymore. And scientists are now on their tails. Sequel to All I Ever Wanted, Ever Needed. Epilogue now uploaded!
1. Prolouge

**A/N:** I don't know if I will ever get my butt in gear and finish my POTC fiction or Riddick fiction. I have been promising the others for so long, and yet I have not put my mind to it. It seems as if Mikey has been preoccupying my mind for far too long.

Nope, that's not it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my second, and possibly my last TMNT fiction, unless I get another idea. So, enjoy it while it lasts. This will entail my original characters from my first fiction, because this is what we like to call a _**SEQUEL**_. _Please_ do not read unless you have read the first one, thank you. And lovely reading to you.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the turtles or any of the characters from the movies, tv shows or comic books. I only own the plot of my stories and my sweet OC's which have been made from real people, like me. Please do not sue, some say I may have talent, but I defiantly have no money.

**You Will Never Walk Alone**

**Prologue:**

A petite, nineteen-year-old woman raised her arm to point at a building a few dozen feet ahead of her. Her newly bleached platinum hair swept over her eyes and still had a few dozen bits of mud or died blood matted in the strands. She took a deep breath and looked through the front windshield of the police cruiser. It was hard to come back to this place for her. The building was a few stories high and a dark shadow seemed to cover the structure with darkness and evil ideals. What she had endured in that place only proved that point. What he had done to her… should never have been endured by anyone. No one. She closed her eyes and turned away, grabbing the edge of the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

"Is this it? Is this the place that he took you, Celeste?" a young man asked the woman in the back of his cruiser.

The woman only nodded and began to sob, "Yeah… he-"

"That's enough," another woman lightly pushed the young uniformed officer away from the woman and knelt next to the open cruiser door, "Thank you, Celeste."

"For what?" she sniffed and looked down at her apparently very confused. What had she done that merited thanks from the NYPD. From a detective from the NYPD no less.

"From what you told us we can get this scumbag from hurting any other women. He'll be going away for quite a while. That is if he comes peacefully. Either way, he will never hurt you again," she looked at the woman sympathetically, "Do you want the officer to take you home now?"

"Ca- can I go… to my mother's instead?" she wiped at her face and looked at the other woman.

"Of course," she nodded and looked at the officer as she shut the door, "Make sure you do not talk to her anymore about the case and drive her directly to her mother's. Make sure that she is safely inside with another person. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am," he nodded and got into the car.

"Detective?" another uniformed officer called from the side of the street.

She brushed the dirt from her brown overcoat that reached down to her knees and was tied securely over her new black turtleneck sweater and dark blue slacks. Her long braided auburn hair swept from side to side as she walked toward the other cruisers at the side of the street. Her badge shown from its place secured on a chain that was placed around her neck.

"What's the haps?" she asked as she made it to the first car. The other uniformed gentlemen looked at her weird, but then shook their heads to remind themselves who it was they were looking at.

"We have reason to believe that he is still in there. His car was seen out back and there is movement inside," another man in a suit said from her side, "I just hope that he doesn't have another victim in there."

"Carson, didn't expect to see you here," she said looking at him and took the bulletproof vest that he was handing her.

"I _am_ your partner," he said amusingly while he loaded his pistol and checked his own bulletproof vest.

"You aren't thinking about crashing his party, are you?"

"Of course. You going to join me?" he snapped the clip in place on his pistol and looked at her, "I know how you love parties."

"Why not?" she shrugged and checked her pistol.

Before they began to walk toward the building with vests and a few other armed police officers Carson turned to his partner, "Did you ask, 'What's the haps' back there?"

"Yeah, why?" she began to whisper as they drew closer to the building.

"Who says that anymore?" he rolled his eyes and looked around the side of the building.

"You'd be surprised how many people still say things that we all thought were dead," she smiled.

"Yeah but," he paused for a moment as he moved from the side of the building to a large crate on the other side. His partner followed closely and let him continue, "I mean, how old are you now?"

"Twenty- four. What's your point?" she smiled as if she was playing a game.

"Never mind, let's get focused. We are dealing with a rapist/murderer here."

"Okay, no problemo," she play saluted and ran to the next crate.

He smiled and shook his head as he found that his small lecture had no affect on his partner. She looked back at him with her back to the crate and signaled to Carson. He nodded and signaled that he would go on the side, while she would take the other. They were both on their own and the other vested police forces would not come in until they were sure on a victim or hostage. He noticed before he left that her face turned immediately serious as she slipped into the main portion of the old factory. She knew when to shut up and get going. Even in the academy, she was the goof off, but still knew when to get it together.

She slowly went from crate to crate, trying to stick to the shadows and reduce her noise as much as possible. It was strange; she could still hear Carson on the other side of the factory, scrapping his shoes on the floor. He has to be careful about that. One day someone will be waiting to hear the shoe scrapping on the floor and give him a nice bullet wound through his torso, if not his head. Soon enough she saw a cleared out section of the factory surrounded by huge stacks of boxes and crates. At the back of her mind, a memory of another factory and crates began to emerge. She reached over and touched her right side from the recent memory and then looked at the devices surrounding her.

In the center of the cleared area there were what looked like chains and cuffs. Whips and other torture devices littered the floor. What looked like dried blood was still seen around the two small drains at the sides of the clearing. He was cleaning the floor in a hurry; probably pushing whatever was left of his last victim's blood down the drains and preparing for his next one. Unfortunately that was Celeste. Fortunately she was smart enough to run when she did. Otherwise, she may have been pushed down the drain as well. If this whole torture set up was new to her she would want to throw up, but if there was another victim she would have to keep it in. She would have to save them. From the set up, it was probably not probable that he did have another victim all ready, but she never knew.

Suddenly a shot rang out and a man's scream from across the factory floor could be heard. She knew that it was Carson as soon as it faded. She ran from the torture scene and made it over to a crate where she could overlook Carson laying on the ground with a bullet wound on his leg. It looked like it was just a flesh wound and didn't actually go through the leg. From the look of it, it was only a clip and he would be fine. She quickly scanned the area and the other crates where someone could be hiding. They were trying to draw her out with Carson. They knew that if he was in danger and out in the open that she would do something to save her partner. And at the weak moment they would have an open shot at her. She took a deep breath and looked above her. At the very top of the factory she could see a closing skylight and a movement of a shadow. It may be her imagination. It _had_ to be her imagination. There was no way that Burgand could climb that high. He was too bulky.

A bullet ricocheted off the crate she was hiding behind and she quickly ducked and pressed her back to it.

"Give it up, Burgand! You had a good run, but slipped up when Celeste escaped from this run down shed you threw her in!" her strong female voice called into the huge building. She pulled on her vest and tightened it to her breast. She was going to use ever advantage that she had.

"You really think you can bring me down, bitch?" another voice called out from among the many crates and boxes in the old factory, "What do you think you can do what your partner couldn't, huh? He took that bullet in the leg and you just sat behind that crate like the dumbfounded bitch that you are."

"Big words for a guy that is looking at life," she called out and closed her eyes, trying to focus in on where his voice was coming from, "Or the needle."

"That's only if you catch me."

His voice was moving. She could tell he was trying to get a shot on her, but she all ready knew where he was, "What makes you think I won't?"

She stood up and took a dive roll to another crate before he could get a good shot at her. About three shots were fired from what sounded like a semi-automatic. He knew what he was doing. It showed in his hiding skills and shots. He probably was an avid hunter before he started to target young women as his prey. She pressed her head to the back of the crate and started to talk over her shoulder.

"Carson? You still there?" she asked worried for her partner who was out in the open the last time she saw him.

"I'm good," he called from behind a crate he reached, "Thanks for the diversion."

"Yeah, now put it to use and get your ass out of here," she called out and saw him limp behind another crate not that far away. He nodded at her and began to make his way back to the entrance where armed and vested police officers could help him to an ambulance.

"All right, Burgand. Just you and me," she called out and put her gun back into it's holster. She never liked firearms all that much, even though her dad did take her to the firing range when she was younger. In a way she saw it more of a hobby and less as a way of self defense against dangerous individuals. She much rather liked the hand's on approach to things.

"Good," she heard him whisper from one of the other close by crates.

Her eyes widened, but she did a back flip to get out of the way as a bullet hit the center of the crate which could have been the center of her chest. She got up on her legs and looked at the surprised man in front of her. He held one of the stolen automatic rifles reported missing a few days ago tightly in his grasp. She started to even out her breathing and stared him down. She knew that the guns were connected to the murder of another woman off of the west side, but didn't even think to connect it to Burgand.

"Now what, bitch?" he nodded at her, "You ain't going to stop me."

"I'm not, huh?" she took off her vest and put it on the ground, "That sounds like a challenge."

"You got balls for a chick," he smiled and started to bring up the gun. He looked at her up and down and started to shake as if he had the chills or something, "You taking off that vest… it kind gets me excited, you know?"

She stared him down, "Don't be. The vest will only slow me down."

Without him even knowing it, she jumped forward and kicked the rifle from his hands and let it slide across the floor. She kicked him in the chest and jumped back from him to see how he managed. He looked at his gun that was now a good twenty yards from him and then at the woman in front of him. He began to back up toward his gun until she ran up and kicked him from behind his knees, making him fall back to the cement and applying pressure to his neck with the heel of her boot.

"Now, as I was saying earlier… how will you like to spend the time you have left of your life in a jail cell?"

"Like I will ever see one," he grabbed her ankle and tossed her from him, making her hit against the surrounding crates hard. She fell to the floor, a little shaken, but tried to recover quickly. Apparently not quick enough. He jumped up and pulled her from the ground, punching her on the right side of her face once he got her standing. He pulled her back up and held her in a choke hold.

"I ain't going to go back to jail," he hissed as he drew closer to her, "Now that I see you up close, I think that I might just have found my new target…"

"That's what you think," she got out from her throat as she smiled and looked behind him.

He looked confused and before he could completely turn around he dropped to the floor as a shadow jumped back to the top crates. Her feet gently hit the ground and she felt her jaw to make sure it was not knocked out of place. She looked down at him and kicked him in the stomach just for good measure. She knew the hit to the back of his neck would take him out, but she couldn't help but add a personal touch. She wiped the blood from the side of her mouth and looked at the red streak on her hand.

"Merry Christmas… I gotta stop being so cocky," she shook her head and put her vest back on before the squad of police officers over took her position. They took a look at her and then at the suspect and took him away.

She stepped out of the factory and tilted her head from side to side to crack anything that she needed and headed toward the ambulance. Once she made her way over she smiled and shook her head at her partner.

"Do you think there could ever be a time in which you are not injured, Carson?" she asked with a chuckle to her voice.

"Well, excuse me oh great Detective Delaney Chasin," he rolled his eyes and cursed as the EMT tightened the wrap around his leg.

"It looks like someone's going to the hospital," she said in a singsong voice as another EMT looked at her jaw and any other areas that may have been injured, "And surprise, surprise it isn't me.

"Well, at least I don't have to do any paper work tonight," he sneered and looked up at her, "Did you happen to bust out in your kung-fu stuff?"

"Carson…" she glared at him as the EMT applied something to her face before she could take it back off.

"Come on, Delaney. Did I miss it?"

"You didn't miss any kung-fu," she rolled her eyes and began to walk toward the cruiser that was loading up the semi-conscious Burgand. She could see Carson's relief that he didn't miss any of the big action and then gave him a mischievous smile, "It's Ninjitsu. Not Kung-fu. I swear, you must be the most immature guy on the force."

"Hey, just take it easy!" he yelled at the EMT as he was loaded into the ambulance.

She shook her head and made her way to the cruiser and made her statement to the correct people. She took off her vest and handed it to one of the other officers.

"How much of a mess is in there, Chasin?" the sergeant came up to her.

"He has a nice little torture set up toward the middle. Whips, chains, even drains for the blood from the victims… the whole works. These women had to go through Hell before he actually killed them," she shook her head and sneered at the back of the cruiser that was carrying the scum away, "I'm glad he is going away for a long time. I think that we also have to look into his involvement in the Wilmer shooting."

"Why is that?"

"He has at least one of the stolen rifles. He may have killed her to shut her up," Delaney shook her head slightly and hissed from her jaw.

"You should have that looked at," the sergeant said to her pointing at her jaw.

She nodded and held the right side of her face in one hand, "I'll have someone look at it as soon as I get home."

"You and Carson did a great job tonight," he patted her on the back, "Now, go home and get some sleep. It's been a tough night."

"Yes, sir," she smiled and made another salute as she trudged off to her car. She looked back at the scene and watched the force look over the building and the other objects that may be hiding more rapists or murderers. Taking a deep breath she looked up at the top of the apartment building and smiled. On top of one of the fire escapes, there was a shadow of a strange creature that only the tabloids seemed to write about.

* * *

Delaney Chasin opened the door to her two-bedroom apartment and threw off her coat and belt to the side and locked the door behind her. In the past six years through the academy, street work and her past cases, she has never seen or heard of a longer case in her precinct. He has been at it for the past year, dormant for about nine months and then started up again. It was a tough night bringing him down, like she had imagined it would be, and her jaw was starting to hurt like Hell. He had a good left hook, she would give him that.

For the past six years, she has been training not only in her police work, but keeping up in Ninjitsu as well. Thank goodness for it, because if it wasn't for it she would probably be buried six feet under about twice over by now. She has grown stronger from the time that her parents were murdered and her adventure began. Both physically and emotionally. She had many people to thank for both, but no one more than that very special some one.

Before she trudged to the kitchen someone cleared their throat from her smaller living room. She stopped in mid stride and turned toward the dark living room where the couch was situated. The faint lights from her lit Christmas tree shown on the face of the intruder and she just slowly shook her head.

"I thought I was going to beat you home this time," she smiled the best she could and watched as a giant mutant turtle walked out of the darkness and into the light, "Damn you and your agility."

"Yeah, my agility just saved your ass, dear," Michelangelo held out a cold compress for her jaw and pressed it against her right side, "I just wish I was fast enough to save your jaw."

"It'll be all right," she kissed his cheek and turned on the lights to her living room, "Everyone wishes that they were faster."

"At least he's down for the count now," he settled in next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Thank God," she let a breath out, "Did you see the set up he had in there? What those women must have gone through… it's bad just thinking about it."

"Then don't," he nudged the side of her left cheek and began to nuzzle against her skin, "Just relax and take a break. You've been working on this case for the past six months."

"Me?" she turned toward him, "I believe that you, my dear silent partner, was there by my side the whole time and you deserve your rest as much as I do."

"I say amen to that," he yawned and stood up, stretching his arms. He looked at the corner of the room where a Christmas tree was lit and the chasing lights were winding around the tree. His eyes began to roam down the tree and settled on the presents below the green branches. He looked at her and then grinned, "So... whatcha' get me?"

"You have to wait for about a few days to find out," Delaney rolled her eyes and smiled back at him. She stood up and yawned, "I'm going to take a shower. Then I'm going to bed. You coming?"

"In a little," he sighed.

She slitted her eyes and looked at him, "Michelangelo, don't you dare try to shake those gifts. You have to wait."

"Okay, okay..." he sighed and kissed her forehead.

She smiled and walked off toward her back bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. After he heard the shower going on he took the closest box to him and began to listen for anything. He looked back toward the hallway just to make sure she wasn't watching and began his work. He took a few shakes and heard a noise resembling glass-hitting cement. He grimaced and put the present back down... he'll blame it on the packaging... unless she did it.

Oh well... it will be an interesting Christmas nonetheless.

**A/N:** I know, weird ending for the first chapter, but I like it. It's a start of a new fic people! And I'm on a roll! Merry Christmas if I don't get the next chapter up soon enough.


	2. Chp 1: One Day At A Time

**Chapter 1**: One Day At A Time

"I don't care if she is one of the best designers in New York City! Or even in the world! This is a disaster and definitely not what I asked for!"

A slender woman began to tear at the material around her waist and threw the torn shreds to the ground. Her fingernails sliced and ripped through the orange material that was once the skirt of an evening gown. The golden corset hit the ground in six different pieces instead of the two that it was originally designed to have. The woman stepped down from the four dressing mirrors and storms over to the young secretary who was looking over the papers on her clipboard. She knocked the clip board from the woman's grasp and stared her down.

"I wanted the dress in this picture to be modified to my style by the suggestions I made for it. So far, I have not seen that done!" she held up a picture of an ad from years past showing the dress that she was tearing up and three other different dresses, "Why wasn't it done? As far as I see, it is the exact same dress!"

"It wasn't done because I don't modify those dresses," Callista walked from her office a few doors down to see what the problem was. The yelling could be heard from six doors down, and was beginning to upset some of her employees, "I told you that fact over the phone."

"I don't talk on the phone," she glared at the designer.

"Apparently, with your personal skills… You're little helper must have made a mistake then," Callista crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side, "I specifically stated that those four specific dresses- especially the orange one- would never be modified. They are originals all ready and do not need to be 'fixed' in any way, shape or form. Pick any of the other dresses I have in stock and I will _happily_ make it your own, but not this one."

"Don't you know who I am?" the woman began to scream, "I am-"

"A snobby, self- absorbed hose brain, I know," Callista raised her voice above hers, "Now, you can pay for the dress that you have just destroyed and leave, or I can have your ass kicked off of these premises. Take your pick, princess."

"You are such a bitch!"

"Takes one to know one," Callista turned from her and began to walk back to her office to finish up her paper work.

"I guess you don't have much of a boyfriend that cares for you. If you did, I wouldn't think that you would be such a huge bitch to your paying customers."

Callista stopped dead, "What makes you think that I don't have one?"

"Being a cough celebrity- if that is what they are calling you these days- you're highly looked at and followed fairly well by reporters. I haven't seen you with one single guy. Only pictures of your friends and your fellow designers. Not one of the pictures even suggests that you have an intimate relationship with any one."

"Let's just say this," Callista turned around and stared down the model, "I'm probably getting more then you will ever get. And dare I say, it is probably ten times better then you will ever get to experience with your little groupies. Love is a complicated thing that way. That's why I don't think your simple mind will ever comprehend it."

"And through all that pleasure, you hide him away," the further enraged model shrieked, "What is he… a freak?"

Everybody took a few steps away from the scene once they saw Callista clench her teeth and watched as her knuckles became white, "I suggest that you get the Hell out of my building, pay for the dress before you leave and stop where you are in this discussion. Otherwise, it wouldn't be good."

"Or what?"

"Or I will not be responsible for my actions," she turned around and showed the model a glint of silver coming off from a sai that no one knew she had on her person.

The model stood straight, trying to pretend that she wasn't afraid, "Fine… I'll make sure that you will never work in this town again!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Callista turned back around and began to head to her office again. She heard the rest of the dress hit the ground and the door slam shut as the model left the studio. Callista rolled her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself, "Girdle neck."

"Yeah well, she was an overactive, whats its," the young secretary followed her into her office as Callista sat down behind her desk.

"You know, Cecilia, you can say 'ass' or any other derogatory word if you want, you know," Callista chuckled, amused by the young woman's tries to stay proper in most respects.

"I'll try," she smiled, "That was the last fitting for today though."

"Thank God!" Callista threw her arms up in relief and turned around in her chair, "Okay, go ahead and place the 'oh so important' files on my desk tonight and go home. It's been a long day today and it is only three days to Christmas."

"You said it," she saluted and set the files on her desk. She looked at the sai that was now sitting on the desk next to the unloaded papers. Callista followed her eyes and smirked at her surprised face. Cecilia shook her head and then smiled at her boss, "'Night boss."

"Good night, Cecilia," Callista put on her jacket after putting the files away and headed out to her new car.

As she clicked to take the alarm off and put the keys in the car she heard someone's heavy breathing behind her. Before she opened the door she turned around and kicked at the intruder behind her. Her foot became caught in the intruder's grasp before she could react. She pushed her hands on her car and threw her other leg around and smacked the guy in the side of the head. He released her other foot and stepped back a few feet.

"All right, buddy… are you sure you want to come at me?" she put up her hands in defense and waited for her foe to attack again.

"Damn it, Cal. Can you hit any harder?"

"Raph?" she relaxed a bit and put down her hands.

"Yeah," he came into the faint street light and rubbed the side of his head where her hit connected, "Who else would be lurking around in the dark next to your car, waiting for you to get out?"

"You'd be surprised," she smirked and touched the side of his face, "Sorry, I get a little more defensive at night. There are a lot of freaks out here once the sun goes down."

"I guess," he smiled and looked behind him once he thought he heard something.

"What's up?"

"I had another fight with the mob tonight. We took care of them, but I just can't shake the feeling that I'm being followed."

"You're being paranoid again," she rolled her eyes, "Hop in, I'll take you over to my place."

"Can I drive?" he looked over her new deep red corvette.

"Not my new baby," she kissed him on the cheek, " Besides, I always get to drive, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I remember…" he smiled and growled a bit at the implication.

Once they got to Callista's apartment Raph noticed the Christmas tree in the middle of the living room, still half decorated, "So, you finally put it up, huh?"

"Finally," she took off her jacket and began to hug him from the front, "Delaney kept getting on my case about how Christmas was just getting closer and that if I didn't put the damn thing up, she would. With my permission or not."

"Oh yeah… that's a big threat," he smirked and looked down at her, holding her by her hips.

"You will never guess what happened today at work."

"What's that?"

"A stupid model thought that I didn't have a caring boyfriend."

"What?"

"Yeah," she looked at him straight in the eyes, "but then I told her that I was getting the most impeccable you know what that she could only dream of. I guess it's a plus having a ninja turtle as your boy."

"I ain't no boy," he lowered his head a bit.

"Ain't that the truth," she smiled and pushed herself against him.

He kissed her deeply and walked over to the couch without removing his lips from hers. They both sunk into the plush couch and lost themselves in one another.

* * *

Eros frowned and looked at the wall clock. It was ten past eight in the evening and she knew that he would be waiting for her outside and down the road. She looked down at the three year old playing with the zipper on his jacket. A smile grew on her face as she watched as he tried to entertain himself. The waiting for his mother to come and pick him up would be worth it. She was not going to leave little Zach to wait for his mom out in the cold. Besides, it was her daycare that he was put in after all. Finally, a car came into the parking lot and a woman came through the doors.

"I am so sorry," she picked up her son and looked at Eros, "The snow got pretty bad out there. There was a near collision at one of the intersections and caused some back up."

"No problem, he was a sweetheart. Weren't you Zachary?" Eros smiled and waved at Zachary who smiled back. The mother and son left, leaving Eros to lock up the building and make sure that everything was secure. She quickly locked the front door to the center and began to trudge through the snow.

"You could have stayed below the awning," Donatello came from around the corner with layer after layer covering him from head to toe. He smirked and leaned against the side of the daycare center.

"Well, you must be warm and cozy," she teased him and took hold of his arm. Nobody would know he was a giant mutant turtle with all the layers that he had on. Besides the fact that it was dark and people would not even care to look at two people bundled up from the snow, "Are we taking the sewer glider home?"

"Yeah, I have it prepped and ready for us. How was work?" he put a hand around her waist.

"One of the mothers was late, but good overall. You?"

"I helped Raph and Leo take down some mobsters and came to get you. The normal, repetitive scheduled day once again. But you know what's strange?"

"What's that?" she stopped in front of a sewer lid as he opened it for her.

"I have the strangest feeling that some one has been following me ever since we caught those guys in the act."

"It might be Mikey playing a trick on you," she brushed it off.

"No… he was with Delaney all of yesterday and has been resting up all of today with her. They finally took down the serial rapist that Delaney was investigating," he waved for her to go down first, "It was pretty hard on both of them."

"Did they finally catch him?"

"Yeah," he slid the lid closed over his head, "Delaney's partner was shot in the leg, but he's okay. From what I hear it was only a flesh wound."

"Stupid Carson… when's he ever going to learn?" she got in the sewer glider and Donatello followed, "How's Splinter doing?"

"He's doing okay," his voice dropped a bit, "He's getting weaker though. During our morning sessions he just sits and watches now. He barely even talks to us about improvements anymore. He sits and watches patiently. I don't know how much longer…"

Eros frowned a bit, "At least you guys are still there with him. He is still surrounded by people who are there for him and can take care of him if needs to be taken care of."

"Yeah, I know. It's just hard to actually think about it, you know? He's been there all this time, and even though he has told us that it was coming… that it has been coming for quite a long time… I just can't think of any time when he hasn't been there. And I can't think or imagine of a time that he won't be."

"Oh, Donny," she leaned over and hugged him around the neck, "It's hard losing somebody, but the thing is, is to focus on the time you guys have left and not on the time when you don't have him."

"I know…" he took a deep breath and started to sewer glider, "You want to go see the new movie tonight? I know you've been dying to see it for the past week."

She gave him a weak smile and leaned back into her seat, "Why not? We got the time, right?"

He nodded and pushed on the gas, zooming through the tunnels.

* * *

The snow was starting to gather on the ground, even in the far edges of Central Park. On one of the outer edges a small canopy covered a section of the park for a graduation ceremony. Dozens upon dozens of chair set up and faced a small stage, which held a few dozen early graduates from the local law university. The snow stopped at the edge of the canopy and saved the guests of the ceremony from being buried in snow by the time the service was over.

Delaney trudged through the snow as she made her way through Central Park and toward Amity's graduation ceremony.

"Oh my Gosh! You made it!" Eros squealed from beside Callista as Delaney walked up to them.

"Of course I made it. She's finally getting her degree," Delaney smirked and sat next to her two friends, "The snow is getting deep out there. Why did they want it outside?"

"Amity was saying something about the teachers believing that the snow would be a perfect setting for the early graduates," Callista rolled her eyes.

"When does this thing start?"

"In two minutes, apparently. Where were you?"

"Writing up my report from the Burgand take down. You have no idea how long that took… and how big of a pain in the neck it was."

"Yeah, but at least he is behind bars."

"With Mikey's help," she nodded, "Speaking of which, shouldn't the guys be here? I was expecting four guys in trench coats when I came up here."

"They're here, but they are keeping out of sight," Callista nodded to some shrubbery that was underneath the canopy, but far enough from the ceremony that no one would notice the four pairs of eyes peeking out.

"Why don't they get over here and sit down?" Delaney asked as some of the professors on stage began to get settled.

"Because it seems that Mikey has decided to use all their masks for some unknown reason," Eros said folding her arms over her chest.

"But he left the scarves and hats," Delaney pointed out and looked at the shrubbery. She smiled and tilted her head to tell them to come over and sit down. Mikey was the first one to stand up. She knew even with the scarf around his face by the way he was waving. She smiled and waved them all over.

"D, what are you doing?" Callista asked.

"They're covered enough," she said, "No one will really notice."

It looked like Mikey had to convince his brothers to come out with him, but eventually made his point. Three other figures got out of the bushes and began to make their way down the aisle and to the girls in the chairs. Eros and Callista moved down and made space for their turtle guys. Donatello sat between Eros and Callista and then Raphael sat between Callista and Delaney. Mikey took the seat next to Delaney and Leonardo sat on the end, hopeful that Amity would be able to see him better that way. Mikey looked at Delaney and then up at the stage.

"Look there she is!" Eros patted Donatello as she pointed at the stage.

Right on the stage a tall young woman approached the podium with a small binder tucked beneath one arm. She gently put the folder on the podium, cleared her throat and put her glasses on. She looked at the audience, saw her friends and gained composure. Before she began to speak she noticed the four large guys in huge trench coats and scarves around their faces. A smile graced her face as she saw the one in the aisle seat.

"Being chosen as my class speaker was a surprise. As well as being one of the valedictorians. Some say with my knowledge, and common sense I am never fooled to believe in the unbelievable. But sometimes the unbelievable is exactly what you have to believe in for definite answers. And in my case…. the impossible was a strong shoulder to cry on when I really needed it. We all need to remember that not everything is totally andundeniablywritten in stone. Sometimes the impossible can and will become truth. As a friend once showed me…"

Delaney smiled and poked Michelangelo in the side, "She's talking about when I first told her about you guys before we even met you. Back then you guys were tabliod news."

"Themasters degree in law is only the beginning. Now we are going to be facing new challenges where we must go against everything. Even the 'facts' that we have learned. Now, there is the rest of our lives… one day at a time."

"That's our brain," Callista smirked.

"That's our Amity," Delaney smiled big and began to clap.

The whole section beneath the canopy began to applaud the young twenty-two year old. She smiled and watched as her three friends and the turtles stood up for her. Leo actually put his fingers up to his mouth and whistled for her. She saw a few of the other audience members roll their eyes and whisper to one another about the guy in the aisle seat. Amity went back to her seat and waited as the rest of the ceremony began and her name along with her classmates began to be called off.

**A/N:** I know, it's a bit weird having Amity graduate in December and so close to Christmas, but I just say it's because she was a little more advanced… I don't know. My friend that Amity is based off of is very advanced, and with her luck, will recieve a masters that early. Please, for my sake, go with it. This chapter just mainly opened up the girl's accomplishments thus far. Not bad for six years, huh? Just wait until things get even more interesting.

Next Chapter Up soon, I promise!


	3. Chp 2: Christmas Eve

**A/N: **Hey everybody! I hope everybody had a great Christmas and an overhaul of turtle stuff. I know I did. I've gotten a few reviews in which people informed me that some of my words are running together. I thought this was strange because I reread the chapters. I might have akward sentences that I read over, but I catch any words running together. I found that whatever I wrote or corrected in the 'Quick edit' function ran together. So I'm sorry if any of this chapter does the same thing, but I tired my best to ensure that it doesn't happen from my typos. Thanks for the reviews, guys. You're keeping me on my toes.

**Chapter Two: **Christmas Eve

"Chasin! Head on in here for a minute!" A voice called from the back office.

"Yeah Chief?" she walked in with a few more files on the apprehension of Burgand the other night.

"I'm putting you and Carson on a new case," he grumbled as he took the files from her hands.

"You are not seriously putting another case on our shoulders on Christmas Eve? I only came in today to give you these files," Delaney grimaced and looked at her chief with a disappointed look on her face. She had planned to spend tonight with Splinter and the guys, not pouring over another rape or child abuse case, "Besides, is Carson up for it? I mean, he did just get shot in the leg the other night."

"It was just a nick. A flesh wound. He'll be fine," Chief Flaten looked at Delaney and walked around his desk to pat her on the back, "And don't worry, there are other officers looking into this case now. I wanted you to meet with them after Christmas. I know how much you want to be with the family you have left during this time of the year."

"Thank you, Chief," Delaney took a sigh of relief, "I'm sorry for getting on your case so bad, but Christmas time does get to me more than any other time of the year. It has become pretty special."

"I understand perfectly," he began to put on his jacket, "That is why I am going home to get the family and come back for the party tonight. Are you going to be there? The whole department is going to be chowing down and partying. With you and Carson bringing down Burgand, I wanted you _both_ to be there. He has all ready set out which table he is sitting at."

"Thanks for the nice, flattering invite, but I already had plans to have dinner at Mikey's father's. His three brothers are coming and so are my sisters," she smiled and put her hands on her hips.

"Sisters? I thought you were the only girl in your family."

Delaney rolled her eyes and let out a breath in frustration, "Callista, Eros... Amity. Remember them?"

"Ah, that's right your extended family," he nodded in understanding and moved his arm to usher her from his office and began to walk with her down the hall, "And when are we ever going to met this elusive Michelangelo? Any time soon I'm hoping."

"I wouldn't give any hope for any time soon. He doesn't get out much and even when he does, he likes to go out in the dark."

"You aren't hiding anything about him, are you?"

"Ah, heck no," she rubbed the back of her head, "He's just a fun loving pizza fiend, just like me."

'He just happens to have green skin and a shell on his back,' she silently added and grinned at the her boss, "And you've met him. A couple of times if I remember right."

"When?"

"You've talked to him on the phone before."

"That's the closest I've ever been to meeting the guy."

"And probably will be the closest you're ever going to get," she smiled and looked up at him. He looked down at her with a concerned glare. In a way he was yet another father figure since her father passed. He had to know how she was doing and at the same time be professional and not favor her over any of the other detectives or officers. It was hard on him at times since he knew her father and was a close family friend until the incident six year ago. She gave him a grin and then tried to skip to another subject. Last thing he needed to know was that she has been seeing a giant turtle for the last six years.

"So what is this new case entailing, may I ask?" she asked and put her hands behind her back.

"It concerns some missing women from the East side. Mostly runaways and prostitutes from what I hear."

"Who's been reporting them if they have been all runaways and prostitutes? These girls still have contact with someone?"

"Well, the last abduction was a Miss Sandra Karten," he took a breath and noticed that Delaney turned her head toward him once he said the name. It was as if she knew who he was talking about.

'Donatello was talking about her the other night in the lair,' Delaney thought to herself.

"You know of her?"

"Isn't she the woman that claims to be close to crossing DNA examples of humans with some of that with animals? The one that said that she could clone animals impermeable to disease?"

"And the same one that another department was investigating on her samples."

"Yeah, but she turned up clean. Didn't she?" Delaney tried to think back to what Donatello was saying and not of what Michelangelo was whispering to her.

"Well, apparently someone didn't think so," he cleared his throat, "Her fiancée reported her missing three days ago and once some others began digging, up popped the runaways and the prostitutes. We need to know where they are going and what is happening to them."

"Why is the case coming to the Special Victim Unit? Wouldn't that be missing persons and maybe even homicide?"

"There was some blood and fluid at the Karten scene where she was last seen. We may be dealing with a serial rapist here. A lot like Burgand."

"A copycat?" Delaney asked with a guess that always filtered through her mind.

"No, this has a whole different MO and a different choice of victims. Burgand liked to target classy girls and women that he knew would never like him unless they weren't forced to. Would stalk them until he knew they were alone. This new guy has his eyes set on a different kind of victim. One's that wouldn't be missed by anyone. One's that wouldn't be asked about," the chief stopped outside the main office where Delaney's desk was situated.

"Until Miss Karten," Delaney nodded, "Any bodies surface yet?"

"None... that's why I want you and Carson on this," he patted her on the back of her shoulder.

"Why us?"

"Because you and he have a connection and a nose for these kind of things. Especially you. You think of possibilities and ideas that no one would even touch on."

"Okay... okay... I'll tell Carson before I leave. I saw him limping around here somewhere."

"Take it easy, Chasin. Try to have a Merry Christmas."

"I will, Chief. Say hi to Cassie for me," she saw him wave over his shoulder as he made his way out to the parking lot.

She walked into the room ready to grab her coat and pads of papers before she left for the lair, but found a few of the officers and fellow detectives that were still laboring at the department around her desk. As she closed the distance between her and the desk she cleared her throat. The others turned to her and began to run their hands over their heads like they were caught red handed.

"You guys need to have more hobbies if you find something so interesting on my desk," Delaney joked and crossed her arms over her chest. She gave a smug look to the men and tapped her foot on the floor.

"Just one question, Chasin," a tall, graying man asked from the corner of the group, "What's with you and urban folklore?"

Delaney noticed her sketches of the guys during some of their practices on her desk. She chuckled at bit to herself and shrugged, "Maybe I have a soft spot for amphibians."

"Reptiles actually," Carson butted in from leaning on his crutches.

"So you and Amity keep telling me," she rolled her eyes, "The reporters say amphibians... they are amphib**_ious_**... so I'm sticking with it."

"You just don't want to be wrong," Carson smiled. The other officers joined in the discussion by adding a few 'ooo's to back Carson up.

"Yeah, yeah... okay professor crutches. We're on another case by the way starting after Christmas day," she looked at the other detectives, "So you guys mind?"

"Oh... right," the others began to go back to their desks and get ready for the party or getting ready to go home.

"So what are we dealing with this time?" he dropped himself behind the desk next to hers.

"I would like to deal with you for getting into my things without my permission. Some of these things are private," Delaney stared him down, "And why do you have crutches? The doctor said that you didn't even need them, you baby."

"Hey, the babes love the heroic detective," he grinned at her, "All blood and guts. Out there saving lives, while risking my own…"

"And being a dumb ass at the same time…" She rolled her eyes, "And how old are you?"

"I'm thirty, why?"

"Grow up!" she hit him playfully up side the head and began to get her drawings and various other belongings together.

"This coming from the girl who still plays with action figures and skateboards?"

"But I don't try to pick up guys by leaning on crutches when I want pity."

"Well, you all ready got a guy and in a committed relationship going on- how many years now? I am still on the look out for a stable girl. Time is running out for poor Carson. Just how long _have_ you two been together anyway?"

"A little over six years now."

"See, now why can't I have that?" he asked as she smoothed out her jacket and picked up her sketches and other papers.

"You are too much of a baby to get a relationship like that," she smirked, "Grow up a little more. And then maybe."

"Let me ask you a question."

"Yeah?" she leaned to one side in annoyance because she wanted to get to the lair before dinner started. She remembered that she still had presents to take down to the lair and under the tree before she went to sleep.

"If you and Mikey weren't together, would you consider-"

"Don't even finish that question," Delaney held up her hand and walked out the door leaving a dumbfounded Carson sitting in the chair.

"Wait! Why not?" he called after her only to be answered by silence.

* * *

"About time, dudette," Michelangelo leaned on the wall of the alleyway beneath her apartment building with his arms folded over his plastron. He gave her a type of smirk as he watched her fix her bag laying on her left hip. 

"I'm sorry," she smiled and put her hands on her hips, "I had to talk to Chief and then scold Carson before I could get out of the office. Then I had to come home and change into something a little nicer then my usual get up."

"It's only dinner, babe," he looked her over and kissed her on the cheek. She was wearing black dress slacks, a shiny orange tank top underneath a brown corduroy jacket. A black scarf tied it all together as it hung loosely from her neck. On the side opposite her bag she carried a few boxes under an arm and held another smaller box in her other hand. Michelangelo play smacked himself upside the head and quickly ran up to the apartment to grab the rest of the presents.

"It's a Christmas dinner with family," she corrected once he came back down and began to walk with him toward the nearest sewer entrance in the alleyway next to her apartment building.

"All right, All right," he nodded and lifted the lid leading down below, "So did you get Callista into the Holiday spirit yet?"

Delaney nodded and put some of the presents onto a small platform that she lowered into the sewer, "I finally put my foot down and said if she didn't put up that tree in her apartment then I would do it myself. And loll and behold she put the thing up and it's at least partially decorated."

"That's my woman," Michelangelo said with a big grin, "All action."

Once they got the presents down the sewer they climbed down themselves, put the boxes on a small sled that Michelangelo was going to use later and began to pull it toward the lair. He then put his arm around her waist and began to march as if he had won a prize or something. He even whistled a little on his way through the tunnels. Delaney just rolled her eyes as she watched her boyfriend make his way home.

It took them a good fifteen minutes before they reached the lair. As they entered they saw that Leonardo and Amity were putting up the last of the liar decorations. Splinter was on his meditation pillow at the side of the room. It looked like he was in a deep trance until Delaney and Michelangelo entered the lair. Delaney smiled and walked over to the giant rat. She knelt next to him and gave him a hug around the neck and a small kiss on the side of his muzzle.

"How's my favorite adoptive father and sensei on this fair Christmas Eve?" she smiled and stood back up before him.

He smiled and sighed, "Very well, thank you Delaney. But I would be much better if it weren't for the cat on my tail."

Both Delaney and Michelangelo looked behind Splinter to find Michelangelo's cat, Klunk, playing with the tip of Splinter's tail.

"Klunk!" Michelangelo picked up the orange cat and carried him away from Splinter and stood by Delaney once again.

"Thank you, my son," Splinter bowed his head and began to get up. He accepted Delaney's outreached hand and balance when trying to get up. He slowly walked toward the far side of the table where some of the food was all ready laid out. By Delaney and Michelangelo's guess he wanted to see if it was still warm. Not all of the family was here yet and he wanted to make sure that none of the food items were growing cold.

Klunk soon jumped from Michelangelo's arms and onto Delaney's shoulders. Delaney jumped a little from the surprise and extra weight placed on her shoulders, but smiled and giggled when she saw the cause of it. The cat purred and rubbed its head into the right side of her face.

She laughed and rubbed Klunk's head, "It's good to see you too, Klunk. How's my favorite kitty in the whole world doing?"

"Delaney, you're going to spoil him," Michelangelo complained.

"Like I haven't all ready?" she smiled and took Klunk into her arms, began to rub under the cat's chin and the top of his head and then baby talked him a little, "Isn't that right you silly kitty."

Klunk meowed, licked her cheek and jumped from Delaney's arms to the ground. He slowly pranced over to the large table set in the center of the lair and sat patiently waiting for some of the Christmas goodies to drop to the floor. Delaney and Mikey looked at the cat and shook their heads. In some ways, that cat would seem more like a dog then its true feline self.

Mikey and Delaney began to put their gifts under the tree as Amity and Leonardo came to greet them. Soon after Delaney and Michelangelo finished placing down their gifts Callista and Raphael showed up with some deviled eggs and their presents. Eros and Donatello showed up only a few seconds after with eggnog and even more decorations for the lair, not to mention a few dozen contributions to the lair's Christmas tree all of which Donatello was forced to carry. Both of the girls went to say hello to Splinter and then went to join the other two girls at the table to help set it up. After the girls set up the table they looked over at the guys to notice that Splinter had called them all over to say a little something. The girls saw the guys nod their heads in near unison and then start toward the table again.

Splinter sat at the head of the table and Leonardo next to Splinter on one side and Raphael on his other. The girls and the other turtles began to file in and take their places. Delaney looked around and noticed some of the seats were empty and that this year; the table seemed a bit empty. Usually they at least had April, Casey and Shadow down here to help in the celebration. On some other Christmas occasions the girls finally got to meet some very different characters from the turtle's past adventures. This year it was only Splinter, the guys and them.

Delaney looked to Michelangelo before they began to eat and gave him a confused look. Michelangelo looked at the table and then nodded to her in understanding. He lowered his voice and whispered to her.

"Splinter just wanted the family here this year," he said and squeezed her hand.

"Isn't April and Casey considered family too?" Delaney whispered back.

"Yeah… but Casey's mom just came down and wanted to spend the season with them. And Splinter just wants you girls and us down here this year. Just the family. He specifically asked for it. I don't know why."

Delaney nodded in semi understanding. She took a look to the front of the table where Splinter was glancing at all of the people situated at the table. Once they locked eyes she gave him a smile and he returned it and continued to look at the others. Then Delaney understood why it was only the nine of them. He somehow knew that this was his last Christmas dinner and he wanted it to be with his sons and adoptive daughters. Delaney felt her throat begin to tighten, but then kept calm. Out of all her holding in a small ragged breath pulled from her throat. She felt a hand squeeze hers and looked up to see Michelangelo looking down at her with a small smile. She sadly returned it and looked at Leonardo who began to bow his head in prayer and asked everyone else to do the same.

**A/N:** Review Please!!!!


	4. Chp 3: I'll Be Home For Christmas

**A/N:** Happy New Year Everybody!!! Anyway, new chapter. Have fun with it. I'm writing my new one and it will be out soon. So look for it. And if you all are wondering about what Carson and Delaney look like in this fic, go on over to my homepage and check them out in my gallery. Happy reading and review when you are done, please.

**Chapter Three:** I'll Be Home For Christmas

After dinner was done and Mikey and Delaney had nearly demolished the turkey and mashed potatoes everyone began to settle down. Once everyone was done eating, they had to take some time and have small conversations with one another, spanning over a couple of hours. Everyone talked about their jobs, careers and interesting developments that are coming up. Callista talked about the model who destroyed one of the dresses designed after the one Delaney wore when the boys threw the dance six years back. Amity was still being congratulated on her graduation and a job invite for one of the top law offices in New York. Splinter even put in his good word after watching the graduation on the TV after Donatello video taped it for him. She declined the offer since she wanted to work with rape and abuse cases instead of the work injury complaints that she more than likely would have been dealing with at the law firm. Eros had set out the plans to add on even more to her day care center. More kids were coming in and parents have been asking if they could have their older children stay with their younger siblings after school. That would mean at least another two rooms to the facility and some major planning. Delaney told the others that she had a new case on her hands and that it should be very interesting. She didn't want to give any details about the case itself. One because everyone just ate, and another because there weren't that many details that she was given at the moment. Both Donatello and Amity did pop their heads up when Sandra Karten was mentioned, but didn't interrupt Delaney until she was done speaking.

"Are you talking about the same Sandra Karten that was on the news about a week back?" Amity asked as she stuck the last piece of mashed potato in her mouth.

"One in the same," Delaney nodded, "It seems that not only is she missing, but she may have been raped in the process. I say who ever did it has a really big anger management problem or is a big animal lover and still believes that she is killing animals."

Delaney squinted as she remembered to try and not talk about the details. No one seemed to mind too much since they were more interested in the case rather then the details. Donatello leaned back in his chair and began to think over the possibilities.

"Do you think that her disappearance has to do with her research?" he mumbled loud enough for Delaney to hear him.

"I wouldn't pass over the possibility, Donny," Delaney thought to herself, "But if she was taken because of her research... why take all of the other women? Wouldn't they bring too much attention to the case?"

"Or maybe a good cover," Amity added in.

"How would that be a good cover?" Raphael asked from the side.

"I see, Brain," Delaney nodded, "If she _was_ taken for her research then the other women taken would give me a whole other direction to focus on. I would be looking for all the women as a group, instead of Miss Karten by herself. I would have to look for a connection between all of them and go through all of their names and positions. I wouldn't focus on her primarily. If I did focus on her and her research I might bring up some interesting facts sooner then the perpetrator would like me to. Either way, it fell into my lap and now I have to find her and the other women."

"Don't worry, you got your silent partner to help," Michelangelo smiled and wrapped his arms over her shoulders.

"I know," she leaned back toward him and patted his hands, "My own little ninja turtle shadow."

"If you may excuse me and my sons, ladies, we have an important matter to discuss," Splinter cut into the conversation.

He stood up and let his sons follow him to his room. Michelangelo gave Delaney a small smile and told her that if it got late to get comfortable in his room. Leonardo gave Amity a small, quick kiss and followed closely behind his father. Raph and Donatello hugged their girls and also followed obediently. Something was off with all four of them and then girls knew it. They just didn't say anything. All the girls had decided that they would stay Christmas Eve night down in the lair with the guys in their two old rooms. Although, each of the girls may just fall asleep in their own turtle's respected beds.

Callista looked at Delaney and Eros who just shrugged back at her. Amity took a sip of her eggnog and slowly walked over to the tree, rearranging some of the gifts and boxes for better access for the morning Christmas opening. Eros began to drink the rest of her eggnog and gave Amity a curious look. She took a look at the leader and the 'bad girl' for some kind of response, but they had none to give. Callista got up and began to hang her and Raphael's stockings beside the tree. Delaney followed and grabbed her and Michelangelo's stockings. Klunk followed at Delaney's heels and began to play with the gold garland that was hanging just above his orange head.

Amity took a deep breath and pushed a larger box toward the back wall, "You know what they are talking about in there, don't you guys?"

Delaney put up her stocking and hung her head. She closed her eyes and nodded silently. Callista looked to the door to Splinter's room and then quickly turned to the tree, focusing on a yin-yang ornament. Eros finally got up from the table and sat down next to the tree, somewhat helping with the presents.

"Donny was talking about it a couple of days ago. He is getting weaker. All of us know it," she looked at the floor as she spoke, getting upset with each passing word, "It could be any day..."

"That's why he is talking to them now," Callista nodded to herself and handed Amity and Eros the stockings that they still had to hang, "Did you guys see his face tonight? It's like he knows that it is close. Like he knows when he is going to-"

"Can we just talk about something else?" Delaney interjected and picked up Klunk, holding him tight to her chest.

"We have to deal with it some time, D," Amity grumbled.

"But do we have to deal with it now?" Eros asked, "I mean... it's _Christmas Eve_, you guys."

"We all know it's coming... every life has it's sunset," Delaney took a breath for herself, remembering what Splinter had told her during one of the training sessions with the guys and faced her friends, "So let's focus on the time we have left with him and then focus on the guys."

"D?" Callista looked at her.

"Amity and I both know all too well what it feels like to lose both our mom and dad at the same time. To the guys, Splinter is one in the same. They've known no one else," she looked at Amity and received a nod to continue, "The guys have known about this for quite a while. Splinter has always tried to give them some kind of forewarning of his death. Even though he has done the best he could, they are all going to need comfort. Need something and someone who knows them... and loves them."

The others nodded and looked again at the door. The leftovers were getting cold and the girls decided to clean up the table and make the lair presentable for the next day.

* * *

It was a good hour and a half before the door to Splinter's room opened again. The boys exited their mentor's room into a dark lair. The girls had cleaned up the table and put all the dishes away. It looked like they may have even washed them as well. All the gifts were put nicely under the tree and all of the stockings were on the wall next to the tree. The lights were off in the girl's rooms, but it seemed that all four of their rooms were lit well. The girls must have went to the rooms and were still waiting for them. The guys looked at one another and gave each other some kind of small smile of semi-comfort. He knew that it was soon. And he had to tell them.

Michelangelo went up to the tree and looked at the lights and presents underneath the branches. A small table was put up to one side of the tree and a glass of milk and some cookies were on a small plate. He smiled and chuckled to himself. It was good that Delaney had done it, if she hadn't he would have and he doesn't feel that into the spirit at the moment. He also noticed the present that he shook a few days back as set off to the side with an extra note on it. He knew that Delaney noticed that it was broken and that he should wait until later to bring it up. Right now, all he wanted to do was lay down and get some sleep in his nice, warm bed.

Donatello came up behind him and patted him on his shell. He saw the present set off to the side and understood to a point. He smiled at his younger brother and began to climb the stairs with his brother at his side. He doubted that Delaney would start anything tonight, but he would walk him to his room all the same. Of the four turtles they were the two weakest when it came to emotions. They wore them on their sleeves, per say. Raphael and Leonardo on the other hand, had a knack of holding stuff in when it came to Splinter.

Leonardo stood a little longer and looked at the tree and the shining star that lit the dark corner above the tree. Raphael stood next to his brother and scanned over the tree as well.

"You know that this ain't the end of our family, right bro?" Raphael looked from the tree at Leonardo.

"You know that he really isn't completely leaving us, right Raph?" Leonardo turned to Raphael and took a deep breath, "He'll still be with us. Just like he always has. I'll never forget that. I hope neither do you."

"Of course not," Raphael smirked a little, "You know, we really shouldn't focus on what is going to happen when he leaves from this plain. We should really focus on what we have now and savor it. And remember it."

"I never knew that you could be such a softy at times," Leonardo smiled at his brother in red.

"Well, I guess it's just from the time of the year, you know?" Raphael shrugged and began to walk toward the stairs, "You coming to bed, bro?"

"Just a sec..." Leonardo took one last look at the tree and then at his master's doors.

He began to follow his brother up the stairs, still unable to comprehend the events that are to come. Splinter had told them that it would only be a few days, but not to worry. He told them to remember this time of the year as a joyful time and not one of mourning his passing. He was happy and proud of all of them. He was happy that he had no mistakes in raising them.

"Hey bro," Raphael broke his brother's trance once they reached his door, "Don't worry. We still got each other no matter what."

"Glad to hear it, bro," Leonardo smiled and headed into his room.

There was barley any light in his room when he entered. Once his eyes adjusted, he understood why. He found Amity asleep, curled up on his bed with a few candles lit to the side of his bed. Her head was buried in one of his softer pillows and her feet were still covered with her black socks. Her hair was down from the bun that she was wearing earlier and he could barely make out the bobby pins and hair ties at the side of the desk. Her glasses were sitting on the opposite corner of the desk from the bobby pins. She must have fallen asleep waiting for him. He slowly took off the sheaths from his shell and placed them on an old, converted coat hanger so they wouldn't be thrown on the ground.

He stepped around the bed and carefully picked Amity up a little and got the blankets and sheets from beneath her. She stirred a little in her sleep as he placed the blankets and sheets over her. A yawn escaped from her throat and she opened her eyes to meet his. Giving him a small smile she touched his hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"Are you guys going to be all right?" she asked in a still sleep-induced voice.

"I hope so," Leonardo looked at her and took a deep breath, "I was surprised that he didn't have you girls come in with us."

"You guys are his sons," Amity nodded and sat up a bit, "He wants you guys above anyone else to know it is going to be okay."

"But it isn't..." he dropped his head and closed his eyes.

Amity's brows furrowed with a bit of worry as she watched Leonardo's slumped figure and a seemingly hopeless attitude. She got out of the covers and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She knew that wasn't the best thing to say at this time. It was probably the last thing in the world that he wanted to hear. She knew that when she lost her parents, that definitely was the last thing that she wanted to be told. It wasn't going to be okay for him in quite a while. In some ways, it still wasn't okay with her. After six years, she is still trying to fight back her emotions during certain times of the year. At least he gets to say goodbye to his father.

"Leo," she softly whispered to him when he made no move to hug her or hold her back, "Leo... I'm sorry. I am so sorry..."

Leonardo finally reacted when he felt her head fall where his neck met his shoulder and a he felt the wetness of a tear touch his skin. He turned to her and held both sides of her face with both of his hands. Her eyes were becoming flooded and her cheeks were no longer dry. She wasn't crying just because he was sad, Splinter was still her mentor and part of her second family. She was in pain. Everyone was. He looked straight into her eyes and took a sigh.

"So am I," he whispered to her.

She let a small sob escape her lips and she closed her eyes, which released some more tears from her eyelashes. They fell into one another's embrace and stayed together for as long as they could, still trying to hold on to some kind of reality. They both silently wished that they were in the dojo practicing some more katana or more Ninjitsu moves. They both knew how well they could escape whatever they were going through when they practiced. They both needed that more than ever.

After her tears began to recede, Amity picked her head up from Leonardo's plastron and pulled lightly on his hands, "Come on. Let's lay down and try to get some sleep tonight."

They both crawled to the top of his bed and pulled the covers over them. Amity pushed her back against his plastron and he wrapped his arms around her. She smiled and then took his right hand that was resting on her hip and put it side by side to her hand. They both looked at the two hands next to one another. They looked so different, yet served the same purpose.

"You know it isn't going to be okay for a lot of us," he murmured as her buried his beak into the back of her neck and some of her hair.

"I know... I forgot about that," she let both of their hands drop to the mattress and his hand quickly found it's place around her waist, "I just automatically went back into comforting person mode, I guess. What I meant to say was that things are going to change. A lot of things."

She felt his grip around her waist grow a little tighter, but continued, "But a couple of things will never change. No matter what happens in this world, we are all a family. And I will always love you."

Leonardo took his face out from her hair and leaned up on his elbows. He looked own at her with a hand on either side of her body. She looked up at him with a questioning look and tilted her head to the side. He finally let a small smile crawl on his features. She seemed to take a breath of relief and reached up for him. She took his face in her hands and pulled him toward her. Their lips connected in what began as a light touch of their lips but then grew into a passionate kiss. They sunk into one another completely and left the world behind. She did seem to make things better with only a few words or a few actions. No one has ever been able to do that for Leonardo. He was always so caught up in the world that Ninjitsu was the only escape. Until she came into his life. Until she changed everything for him.

He broke the kiss and placed his forehead on hers, "I will love you always," he whispered and looked deep into her eyes.

"How did I all ready know that?" she smirked at him.

"You _are _the most intelligent woman I have ever met," he shrugged and laid back down next to her.

"You better believe it," she turned on her side and pressed against him, enjoying the feel of his strong arms around her and the rhythm of his breath on the top of her head.

As they both began to finally settle down and fall into sleep they began to hear soft Christmas music fill the lair. The sound of 'I'll be Home For Christmas' flowed in and out of each room. After a few lyrics were sung with the music, Leonardo recognized the song as coming from one of Michelangelo's CDs. Every year he put on that CD when everyone went to go to sleep and then again in the morning when everyone began to open gifts. Although by then Raphael would be down his throat about the music waking him up. It seemed that this year, Raph had no objections.

Everything was silent in the lair... everything seemed to be at peace...

And everyone was home for Christmas when the clock sounded off at Midnight.


	5. Chp 4: Jingle Bells Aren't the Only Ones...

**Chapter Four:** Jingle Bells Aren't the Only Ones Ringing

Delaney laid in Michelangelo's bed with one hand over the side and the other under her pillow. Her hair was put up in pigtails, one sitting on each side of her head. For some reason she had begun the ritual of putting her hair in pigtails when she was younger and never grew out of it. She started to swat at her nose once she felt someone lightly touching the tip of it. She finally rolled over on her other side and pulled the comforter over her shoulder. The orange flannel pajamas that she had bought were not doing that much at the moment. She snuggled down into the pillow and the warmth of the bed. Another person got onto the bed and was crawling toward her. She cracked an eye open and saw Michelangelo looking down at her with a large Santa hat on top of his head.

"Merry Christmas, Delaney!" he shouted and grabbed the covers off of her. Klunk looked at his owner and the covers that he just took off the bed. He yawned and bared his teeth and turned over to fall back to sleep. Delaney grumbled and let a small smile come on her face as she looked up at her boyfriend.

"Mikey, please don't tell me it is like four in the morning or anything like that," Delaney yawned and sat up as Michelangelo finally sat down on his bed and looked over his room for his clock. Having his bed a good eight feet above the floor of his room does have its plus sides. He finally pointed out the clock on the far wall and gave Delaney and cheesy smile.

"Nope, it is now nine in the morning!" he held up some mistletoe above their heads.

"Well, I guess you're ready for your first present then," she smiled once she saw the mistletoe and tackled the turtle on his shell and kissed him.

"Good gift," he chuckled and sat back up, "Come on, we go to wake everybody else up!"

"Mikey, I don't think-"

Michelangelo grabbed Delaney's wrist and began to drag her down the ladder at the side of his bed. As they exited the room he grabbed his small boom box and went to the next room over, which happened to be Donatello's. He pushed Donatello's door open and head a loud bell ringing by his bed. They heard some groans and a few yawns and after a few moments they saw the brainy turtle come from the back of his room.

"Merry Christmas, Mikey," he yawned and stretched his hands over his head.

"Aw, Donny," Michelangelo frowned at his brother, "Why did you have to go and spoil all my fun? It's tradition…"

"You've been doing this 'tradition' for the last ten years…" Donatello looked at him and noticed that Eros was dragging her feet toward them. She smiled as she saw her boyfriend and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She turned to see Michelangelo and Delaney in the doorway and smiled at the sight of her friend.

"You all ready to see if Santa brought you what you wanted, little girl?" she watched as Delaney stuck out her tongue at her friend, "That was mature."

"I like to put my hair up in pigtails on Christmas day, you know that," Delaney crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, "It gets me into the spirit."

"I think they look very cute," Michelangelo grabbed her around the waist and pulled her toward him, "Now, Donny… since you missed up my tradition, who will be the first to suffer the wrath of Santa?"

"It definitely won't be us," Leonardo stuck his head out of his door with Amity not that far behind.

"Nice outfit, D," Amity smiled and waved at her friend.

"Now everybody is a critic," she rolled her eyes and leaned into Michelangelo.

"Mikey, if you are so apt to surprising someone with your tradition, why not try Raphael's room?" Amity yawned and pointed to the last room.

"Raph! Of course!" Michelangelo grinned down at Delaney and snuck into Raphael's room. Delaney began to follow him until Leonardo and Donatello stopped her from continuing.

"Guys… what are you-?"

"Just wait," Donatello said and made everyone become deathly silent.

Delaney listened closely and heard Michelangelo quiet snickers and then a few clicks that were more then likely from his boom box. A few more seconds passed until Michelangelo came out and signaled everyone to come next to the door to watch the fun. He had a small remote that belonged with his boom box in his hand. The others came over and peered into the room. They saw Raphael in his hammock with Callista comfortably snuggled against his plastron. Raphael's foot slipped out of the light cover that was over both of them and hung from the side of the hammock. Michelangelo's small boom box was place a few feet from the hammock and turned to its maximum volume.

The girls watched from behind him with bewildered looks on their faces. They never spent Christmas Eve night over at the lair. They usually came for dinner and then came back the next morning after everyone woke up. This tradition of Michelangelo's was new to them, but they knew it was going to be big. And more than likely, Delaney will have to protect Mikey from Raphael later today. Donatello and Leonardo knelt down to Michelangelo and started to silently count down.

"All right, dudes and dudettes… three…two…one…" Michelangelo counted down and pressed the button on the remote.

Suddenly the tune of "Jingle Bell Rock" blasted from Michelangelo's boom box and grabbed both Raphael and Callista from their sleep. Raphael leaned too far back in surprise and sent both him and Callista over the back side of the hammock and to the lair floor. In a jumble of body parts and a blanket, Raphael and Callista tried to get themselves together. Through the tune they heard the laughter of their family from the doorway. Raphael stood up and looked at the turtle rolling on the ground.

"Merry Christmas, Raph!"

"Mikey!" he roared and ran toward the door.

Michelangelo stopped laughing and looked at Delaney, "Just remember that I love you."

He gave her a quick kiss and ran toward his hover board built from the utrom technology. Callista came out of the room with her hair in a big mess and her clothes bunched up to a point. She commented on Delaney's outfit and then looked at Raphael trying to get a hold of his younger brother on the hover board. The others continued laughing as Raphael chased Michelangelo all around the lair until he ran out of juice and Michelangelo remembered that there were still presents to be opened. Splinter soon came out of the room and silently sat in his pillow next to the tree.

The whole group sat next to the tree and began to set out the presents to each person. As the boxes began to pile up Delaney came over to Michelangelo with the box that he shook a few days prior. She sat down next to him and opened the box herself.

"You know… I wrapped this myself and I could have sworn that it was just fine… then all of a sudden, yesterday as we were arranging the gifts, I could have sworn that it sounded broken…"

Michelangelo watched her as she took off the bow and paper from the box. He gulped and shut his eyes as she opened the box. Delaney tapped him on the shoulder and showed him a small device that was from the box. He looked at her with a confused look and she shook her head. She pressed the button on the side of the device and he heard the same sound that he heard when he first shook the box. He took a sigh of relief and then gave her an innocent smile.

"Don't give me any of that," she smirked at him, "This will teach you to shake boxes. What if it was the box with your collectible glass figurine of the Justice Force inside it?"

He frowned and then realized that she hinted toward another one of his gifts and began to dig in his gifts trying to find the right size of a box. Delaney laughed as he began tearing at the wrapping and pulled out the glass figurine. He began to rub it against the side of his face and smile and coo at it. She rolled her eyes and began to open more of her gifts from her friends.

Splinter did not get much, since he had requested not to get much, if anything. He did not want material possessions. He just wanted his family around him and happy. He smiled as he watched his sons open their gifts with the girls. Everyone laughed and hugged, thanking the others for the gifts. Every once in a while Klunk would pop in and out of the empty boxes, getting tangled in the wrapping paper and ribbons. He came down from Michelangelo's room a little while after Raphael's rude awakening.

Delaney looked away from Michelangelo and his new set of rare comic boxes and looked up at Splinter who was laughing lightly at Eros playing with Klunk with a long piece of ribbon. She got a small box from her side and tapped Michelangelo on the shoulder. He looked at her and she smiled and nodded toward Splinter. He nodded at her and let her get up and go to him.

"Merry Christmas, Master Splinter," she knelt down beside him and bowed her head a bit.

"Merry Christmas, Delaney," he bowed his head a little as well.

"I have something for you," she showed him the small box in her hand.

"You have given me and my sons so much, you didn't have to get me anything more," he smiled.

"But you have done the same for me… and I wanted to give you something in return. And I know you hadn't asked for anything, and this isn't much…. But it's all I could think of."

Splinter watched as Delaney took the top off of the box and revealed a rose made of silver origami paper lying directly in the center of the box. She took a deep breath and looked at the medium sized paper flower.

"Mikey had to help me with it a bit… and even then we still had trouble with it," she chuckled a bit.

He leaned forward and took the rose out of the box. He looked at the folded pieces that acted as the petals of the flower. He took a deep breath and looked at her in the eyes.

"Thank you. This more than I could ever ask for," she saw his eyes glaze over a bit with the start of tears. She gave him a small smile and leaned forward to hug him gently around the shoulders and buried her head into his shoulder.

"_You_ are better then what I could have asked for. In both a sensei and a father," she pulled away and looked at him in the eyes, "I wanted you to know that you are just like that rose. It's beautiful, radiant, filled with love… and it will never fade. And neither will you from our hearts."

"That was very poetic, Delaney," he nodded to her.

"I guess Mikey is getting to me that way," she grinned and rubbed the back of her head, "I bet he will make a poet out of me yet."

"Well, as soon as everyone is done opening presents, I believe a family movie is in order."

"I'll get the popcorn!" Michelangelo yelled from the middle of the present opening chaos when he heard the word 'movie'. He jumped up with Klunk on his tail as he got into the kitchen and began to tear the place apart looking for the popcorn bags.

Delaney and Splinter shook their heads and then turned toward the entertainment system where Raphael, Leonardo and Donatello were arguing over which movie to watch. The other three girls came over to Delaney and Splinter and just watched their guys go over their options.

"Just be glad that Michelangelo isn't over there arguing for his option on the movies," Eros nodded and watched as they finally decided on "Miracle on 34th Street" instead of "Nightmare Before Christmas" or "It's A Wonderful Life."

After they settled down into the couch and the other available seating arrangements, the movie began and the popcorn and eggnog was passed around. Except on the few occasions when it got stuck for a few minutes when Delaney and Michelangelo got their hands on it.

"This guy is just plain Wacko. I don't care what the post office said," Raphael pointed at the screen.

"Come on, Raph! The guy _has_ to be Santa Clause!" Michelangelo argued, "I mean, there is so much evidence."

"Like what? His beard?"

"Among other things…" Michelangelo said under his breath. Delaney smiled and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and let her lean on his shoulder.

"It's okay. Let the non believer get coal in his stocking," Delaney smiled and hugged Michelangelo around his waist, "You get to have something a little nicer."

"Oh really?" Michelangelo moved his eye ridges in a suggestive manner, "Like what, may I ask?"

"Guys! We're trying to watch a movie here!" Callista tossed a pillow at them and hit Delaney square in the face.

Delaney glared at her best friend and then shook her fist.

Michelangelo leaned down to her and whispered in her ear, "We get to finish this talk later."

She looked up at him and smiled, "You bet."

* * *

Later that night, most of the wrapping was put away and everyone put their new items in their rooms. Or in the girl's cases, in their old rooms. Amity and Leonardo went to the dojo to try out Leonardo's new katanas and Amity's new wrist and ankle wraps. Eros and Donatello went to walk some of the paths at Central park and then stop by Eros's apartment to settle down. Callista and Raphael went out on another one of their bike rides around the city. Splinter had gone back to his room after the movie. Delaney saw him pick up the box with the origami rose in it before he disappeared into his room. Soon after she could smell the soft sent of jasmine filter from Splinter's room. He must have lit some more incense.

Delaney and Michelangelo soon retired back to his room and laid on his bed with the soft music from his jukebox playing in the background. Klunk was curled up at the foot of the bed with a play mouse hanging from his mouth by the yarn tail. When Splinter saw the play mouse come out of the box, he was a bit taken back, but remembered that it was just a cat toy. Some of the girls believed that he was very close to asking why cat toys always have a resemblance to mice or rats, but he didn't get into it. Delaney felt so content and began to drift off to sleep again, even though it was still pretty early in the evening.

Michelangelo tightened his grip around her waist and woke her up a little more. He looked down at his small desk where his new glass figurine stood. All members of the Justice Force stood in all their glory, flying from one point in the center of the glass. He sighed and looked down at the drifting Delaney.

"Hey," he softly said, stroking a piece of her hair from her pigtails from her face, "You falling asleep all ready?"

"It's been a long day," she yawned and turned over and buried her head into his shoulder. She took a deep sigh and closed her eyes again, "You like your gifts?"

"Definitely," he grinned and gave her another light hug, "but the gifts aren't done yet."

"What?" she opened her eyes and looked up at him. He let go of her for a few minutes and turned to look down at Klunk at the end of the bed.

"Klunk," he whispered to the cat. Klunk raised his head and yawned at his owner, a little perturbed that he was awoken from a marvelous dream.

"Hey, Klunk," Michelangelo repeated to the cat, "Go get Delaney's gift. Go on. Go get it."

The cat looked at Michelangelo and took a moment to process the information. Klunk stood up and stretched for a moment or two before it finally got the momentum to get down to the floor. Once it reached the bottom step he stretched again and shook off his the sleep that clogged some of his kitty mind. He looked up at Michelangelo and then at the side of his desk.

"That's it Klunk," Michelangelo called from the bed.

Delaney smirked and watched the orange ball of fur walk to the side of the desk and then reach behind it to get out a small box. Klunk grabbed onto the ribbon at the top of the box and carried it back up to the bed. He dropped the small box in Michelangelo's hands and then purred as he settled down between the two of them.

"I know this isn't the proper way to be standing- or in my case laying- but we are on a bed quite a ways off the ground and I'm not going to kill myself doing this," he looked at her in the eyes and opened the box to uncover a gold band with a Princess cut diamond and a tear cut emerald on each side. She looked at the ring in front of her and then looked into his eyes.

"You aren't doing what I think you are, are you?" her breath began to quicken and she began to feel her hands shake. She was definitely glad she was all ready lying down otherwise she would have fallen by now.

He took the ring out of the velvet box and slipped it on her left ring finger, "I know that there may not be many- if any at all- actual preachers that would do the ceremony, but… I never knew anyone like you. And I never will meet anyone like you either. You're smart, stubborn and strong. You know what needs to be done, not by your head, but with your heart. And, let's face it, you're one of only too few people who actually, genuinely laughs at my jokes-"

Delaney let out a chuckle that also let a few tears fall down her face from joy, "That's true."

He chuckled a bit and took another look at the ring, "You are the best thing that has happened to me… and I can't see me living my life without you."

He lifted his eyes to hers once and bit his lip, "Will you marry me, if at all possible?"

Delaney took a deep breath as she felt her throat close up and tears fill to the brim of her eyes. She looked down at the ring and then looked back at him. She took a few more breaths to digest the situation and closed her eyes so she could find her voice to give him his answer.

**A/N:** Dun, dun, dun... What will her answer be? (Like you guys don't all ready know) Tune in next update to find out. Dun Dun!

**Mikey:** Beware the wrath of Santa!


	6. Chp 5: Old Friend and Briefing

**A/N: **I am so incredibly happy at the moment. I was just told that I won the TMNT .com fanart contest. Well, I was one of the winners. Every other week there are four winners. These winners receive an autographed TMNT TV series source guide. I can't wait til that comes in the mail.... Anyway, in celebration I decided to put up the next chapter. I don't want to brag too much, but I'm just so excited I had to tell you guys! Not to mention, I finished this chapter just last night- or should I say this morning? And just to tell you, the ooze and scientists are coming up. So my summary won't look too far off soon enough. So, enjoy you guys! And please review!

**Chapter Five: **Old Friend and the Briefing

"Hey Raph!" Callista yelled from behind him on his motorcycle, gripping tightly to his jacket.

"What's up?" he glanced back at her quickly and began to drive around some of the slower traffic.

"It's getting cold, maybe we should find someplace to eat or something," she hugged onto him tighter as he began to accelerate through the bad traffic.

"Which place are you thinking about?" he yelled back at her, "I don't have any disguise other than my biker outfit. I doubt that people at BK would appreciate me droppin' in."

"How about Danny's place? He all ready knows about you guys and keeps you on the down low. Besides, he has some pretty good pasta," he nodded slightly and made a sharp turn to the right, cutting off a few cars in his path.

"Being a little dare devil, aren't we?" she smiled at him and looked back at the car stopped at the side of the road because of their little stunt. She looked at the small figure climbing out of the driver's side and gave Raphael the finger.

"Did that guy just do what I think he did?" Raphael growled and looked every once in a while behind him, towards the car.

"Don't worry about it," she yelled and looked ahead, "We're almost there anyway."

"Yeah, I'll let him off easy this time… but if he ever pulls something like that again with me…" Raphael parked the bike toward the back entrance and put down the kickstand.

"How are you going to find him again in a city like New York?" she smirked and let him help her down from the bike, "You need to learn to let things go."

"I don't think that is such a good idea," he smiled and held on to her even after he got her down from the bike.

"Maybe not," she smiled, raised his helmet and began to kiss him on the lips a few times. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her closer as they began to kiss by the back entrance. Out of nowhere the door opened and a twenty-six year old man came out with a couple of menus. He looked left and right to find a surprised Raphael and Callista at the side of the door.

"Hey Raph," he smiled and waved at him, "I thought I heard your bike drive up."

"Kid… you always have the best timing don't ya?" Raphael rolled his eyes and grumbled on his way in, leaving Callista to talk with the man.

"Kid? We're the same age in case you forgot," the guy sneered at Raphael and then turned to Callista, "Good to see you, Callista."

"Same to you, Danny," she smiled and shook her head lightly, "How's your dad doing? Still managing the news station all right?"

"He's doing okay. April is keeping him on his toes most of the time," he nodded and looked at Raphael, "How are you guys doing? I heard about Splinter from Donny."

"We're getting through it," she nodded and watched as Raphael sat down in his normal table toward the back where only a few kitchen personnel and Danny could see them, "And he… well, he doesn't talk about it at all."

"That isn't good," Danny shook his head lightly then immediately and purposefully changed the subject, "So are you guys going to get the usual?"

"You bet. Well, as far as I go anyway. You'll have to ask Raph what he wants. He's been a bit up and down lately; not that I blame him," she nodded and went to sit down next to Raphael. Danny hesitantly followed behind her and set down a couple of glasses of water he grabbed passing through the kitchen.

"All right," Danny wrote in the note book he had on his hip, "Callista already decided on a plate of Fettuccini Alfredo, with her usual Dr. Pepper on the side. What do you want, Raph?"

"I have always wondered, Dan. Why do you take our orders? I mean you _do_ run this joint, don't ya?" Raphael smirked up at the guy.

"Yeah, I _do_ run this place," Danny said exasperated, "But let's face it, Raph. None of my waiters want to take your order because they are just too plain scared of you."

"Shouldn't they be?" he chuckled a bit and leaned back into the plush cushioning of the booth.

"Yeah, yeah... are you going to order or what, tough turtle?" he tapped the pen on the top of the pad of paper.

"I guess I'll take the Buffalo Chicken Lasagna and a beer while you're at it," he nodded.

"Does that mean I'm driving home?" Callista asked hopeful.

"You wish," Raphael shook his head at her and smiled.

"Although, I have to say... from what I've seen, that is, you drive safer when you're a little under the influence than when you are sober," she crossed her arms over her chest and smiled to herself, "You are more likely to go slower than the posted speed limit and let others pass you instead of running other vehicles off the road."

"Yak breath," he looked at her and began to lean towards her with his smirk still pasted on his face.

"Zipper neck," she shot back with her smile never leaving her face and began to lean towards him in return.

"Do you guys mind?" Danny looked at the two of them as they were about to kiss.

"Don't you have an order to fill?" Raphael looked at the guy, trying to stare him down.

"Thank God for that," he threw his arms in the air and started back toward the kitchen to get their orders ready.

* * *

It was around eight-thirty in the morning when she reached her destination. The streets weren't as clogged as before, today being the day after Christmas. It was a shame she wasn't in that big of a hurry. Her shift didn't begin until nine, but she wanted to have plenty of time to get there, considering that she wasn't all the way there that morning. 

Delaney stepped into the precinct with a content, some would even say a goofy, expression on her face. Her eyes were glazed over as she made her way to her desk and collapsed in her chair. She didn't notice the other detectives around her as they watched her absent mindedly bring out her notebooks and papers for the new case. She had yet to get the photos and briefing from Chief Flaten, so she didn't have that much to take out of her bag. After unloading she sat in her chair and looked down at a small drawing that she had made in the corner of her notebook. A small chibi figure of Michelangelo stared back at her, giving a small peace sign and a huge grin.

After a good five minutes Carson entered the main room looking into an open folder of an older case. They had solved it a good month before the whole Burgand fiasco started, but he thought that a good look over was in order. There was a thought that there was another rapist connected, but it was near impossible since the other suspect was dead before the act was even committed. He scratched his head and closed the folder with a big sigh. Looking up from the paper work he was surprised to see his partner at her desk a good twenty minutes before she even had to be there.

By taking a look at her face, he noticed that she was in one of those moods again. Nothing could bring her down from the clouds and back into harsh reality. Michelangelo must have done something fantastic for her again. Maybe another surprise dinner, or maybe even a pair of tickets to one of the plays that opened on Broadway. Although, Michelangelo never sounded like the type of guy that would go to a play. Or even one to have that much money to throw around. Delaney had mentioned a few times that he wrote poetry on and off, but going to a play? Carson shrugged it off and knew that he would hear about whatever he had done later that day. Delaney always spilled her guts when it came to stuff like that. She could never keep it in for long. But for now he had to get his partner out of her dream-like state and back to the precinct.

He tucked the folder under his arm, limped a bit on his bad leg over to his partner and sat at the edge of her desk, stealing a glance at the small sketch at the corner of the notebook page, "So, whatcha' up to Chasin?"

Delaney shot out of her dream and put some of the other papers or books over the small drawing, "Nothing!"

"Come on now, you think that I don't know something big is going on in that little mind of yours?" he gave her a small noogie, ruffling her hair that was down.

"Hey!" she pushed at him lightly and tried to smooth out her hair a bit after he stopped, "Just cause I'm in my own little world doesn't mean that 'something big' has happened. I was just thinking about a story line going on in my mind."

"You becoming a writer on us, Chasin?" Hendrick, another detective asked from two desks over.

"Once in a while I get the urge to write something down. I mean, when the mood strikes me," she smiled and looked down at Carson's leg, "So you finally came off the crutches, huh?"

"Didn't quite turn out as well as I had hoped," he shrugged his shoulders and made a cheesy smile, telling Delaney that he was probably turned down more often then he wanted.

She shook her head in amusement, "So I'm guessing you got little to no dates out of it then."

"Well, I am waiting for that perfect woman," he mused and looked at the ceiling.

"Right..." she rolled her eyes.

"My dad really wants me to find the perfect Christian following woman... but I'll just have to see what fate brings my way."

"What, your father big on religion?"

"Well... he is a reverend," Carson shrugged and tossed the folder he was looking at on his desk.

Delaney's interest was peeked. Maybe there was a way... Carson hasn't seen Mikey yet, but will have to when the day comes. She shook herself out of the thought as something else tugged at her mind. The sound of double doors opening and closing entered her mind. She slowly got out of her chair, collecting her materials and a pen, "Are you ready for the briefing, Carson?"

"If the Chief was here, I would be," he tilted his head, thinking that she thought it was nine or later. She gave him a smirk as if she knew what he was thinking and looked toward the hallway and the main doors. He gave her a confusing look and then followed her gaze.

"All right everyone, let's get to work!" Chief Flaten walked by the main room and then pointed at Delaney and Carson, "Chasin, Carson, let's get moving on this. We need to find these people yesterday."

"Yes, sir," Delaney saluted at the Chief as he disappeared into his office. She didn't even have to turn to Carson as she reached behind him and closed his mouth that was hanging open. Hugging the documents and papers close to her chest she turned around and walked proudly into the office.

He quickly recovered and grabbed his own materials off of his desk, "How does she do that?"

"Good of you to join us, Carson," the Chief nodded to him as he entered, "Shut the door and sit down."

"Yes sir," he nodded and sat at the small table that Delaney was all ready positioned behind.

"Okay you two, this is going to be a big case," he started to pace, "Chasin, you all ready know the jist of it. I'm thinking that Carson is not as well informed."

"Not yet, sir," she shook her head lightly.

"Well Carson, you now know less than the general population," he dropped a tabloid print of the day's top story in front of them, "Some how the media caught the sent of 'rapist' and 'missing genetics professor' in the same case and have gone into a frenzy on this. We got to work a little quicker now, you two."

"Can we just start with the briefing, Chief? I'm still a bit lost here," Carson put up his finger to pause his commanding officer.

"All right," he turned his attention to the board behind him that was now covered with a map of the East side of New York city and a few crime scene photos, "Prostitutes, runaways and now a genetics professor have gone missing from the East side. At a few of the scenes there has been evidence of either a sexual assault or a brutal kidnapping. The Karten scene has the most blood and seminal fluids present. I want you guys to focus on this."

"All ready ahead of you, Chief," Delaney brought out some of the documents that she had dug up from Donatello's interest in her research. She stood up and posted a picture of Professor Karten at the top corner of the map, "Most of her research has been done with recently deceased mammals and possibly some live specimens. But even the live specimens were treated humanely and were healthy during each of the visits by the animal cruelty agents. She couldn't have been abusing the animals. It was all documented, out there for the world to see. I looked up her research on the Internet for crying out loud. A person who believed that she was harming animals couldn't have done this. She had the damn seal of approval all over that sight."

"Okay any other thoughts?" the Chief leaned against the wall.

"Couldn't it be that she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and was taken as a prostitute?" Carson asked from leaning back in his chair, "That does happen with normal women who just went out for a night on the town."

"I don't think so," Delaney shook her head, "I originally thought that too, but then I thought that maybe her kidnapping was the only one that really mattered to the perpetrator."

"Please explain..." Carson leaned forward.

"Okay," Delaney turned to the board and tapped on Karten's photo, "What if this is all about her research? All of the missing women and girls were taken to cover _her_ kidnapping."

"Why take all of them?"

"To throw us off," Delaney turned to the men, "If we focused on the other women then we would think that maybe she was just, as you said, the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, think about the fact that there was more blood and fluids at her scene than at any of the others. What if all of that was planted to make us think that there was a serial rapist out there?"

"Meanwhile, all we are dealing with is a maniac taking women off the street to cover up another kidnapping three weeks down the road?" the Chief shook his head and turned to the board, "It doesn't seem right."

"That's just it. It's confusing in itself," Delaney looked at the photo of the woman, "But we do need to focus on her. Primarily."

"What about all the other women?" Carson piped up from behind them, "They may be throw aways, but they still need justice."

"I know," Delaney nodded, "I'm not saying that I'm giving up on them, I still believe that they are connected to Miss Karten. We just need to establish that they were just the cover story. And we need to figure out where they are."

"So what do you think we should do?" Carson looked at the dotted map.

"I have a gut feeling that her research is a big part of this. If we focus on her, then we will bust this case wide open," she looked at the Chief and pleaded with her eyes.

He looked from her to the board and then back to her again, "I don't have your confidence or enthusiasm about it, but check up on the lab and her relatives. Especially the fiancée. See what you can dig up. I just want to get this guy down. If anymore seeps out to the press, they are going to have one big field day with this department."

"Right on it," Carson nodded and stood up.

The chief looked out the window of his office into the main room where a new witness was causing some commotion, "Now what?"

Delaney and Carson watched from the office as the other detectives and the chief tried to calm down a now hysterical witness. She shook her head and began to file in all the documents and folders into her bag. Carson turned his head away from the scene outside briefly to check on Delaney's process with the papers and caught a glint of light from her direction. He took a second look down at the papers as she was loading them and saw a nice looking ring on her left ring finger. His eyes bulged for a second and then he turned back to the scene outside the office.

'So that's why she was all giddy this morning,' he thought to himself, 'And she didn't tell me about this, why?'

"Hey Carson, you ready to get going? We got to hit that lab before they pack it in for the day," Delaney said passing him towards the door.

"It's only nine-forty in the morning," he looked at his watch.

"Yeah, but they have a night lab. They close in the mornings, let the researchers sleep during the day and then come back during the night."

"That all ready sounds suspicious," he closed the door and grabbed his coat on the way out to their car.

"Everything is suspicious to you."

* * *

"Excuse me, Mr. Grayden?" 

The tall man turned at the mention of his name to find two individuals standing before him. He had dark brown hair and thin, black-rimmed glasses that covered his brown eyes. He was no more then thirty-two years old, but looked much older in the white lab coat and pressed slacks.

"It's Professor Grayden, actually," he nodded and set down the samples that he was holding in his hands, "What can I do for you? If you are interested in the research, you will have to come back tonight or earlier tomorrow morning. We are closing up pretty so-"

"I'm detective Delaney Chasin and this is my partner Detective Jeremy Carson," Delaney showed him her badge and nodded her head at her partner, "We're investigating your fiancée's disappearance."

"Sandra..." he bowed his head a bit and then nodded, "Of course... um, let me show you to my office."

Carson and Delaney followed the man to his office where he took a seat behind his desk and they took the other two chairs sitting in front of him.

"What can I do to help?"

"When was the last time you saw Sandra?" Delaney began.

"Last week, Thursday. We were celebrating our recent engagement. She was so happy that night. Kept looking at the ring on her finger like it was the best thing in the world. I wish I could have gotten something bigger for her though. She deserves it."

"I bet she loved it all the same," Delaney smiled to herself.

"She wasn't acting strangely at any time?" Carson asked.

"She was a bit paranoid about the research," Grayden nodded to himself, "For a few days following the dinner she kept calling me. It seemed like she was afraid of something. Like someone was following her. Then after her last call to me, I didn't hear from her for a day. I thought that was strange since she always called at least once a day. I tried calling her back and left at least five messages on her phone. Since she didn't call back after a few hours, I called the police and reported her missing."

"You didn't see her around the lab normally?" Carson took a look at the facilities.

"She has her own lab and faculty to help her. She works with genetics, while I usually stick to chemical imbalances," he shook his head, "That's why we always have cell phones on us. Even during work."

"We'll need to see her lab," Delaney nodded.

"Be my guest. It's the lab a few doors down. There isn't much left since the police all ready cleared it out. Everything is now evidence. Her faculty is trying to start up the experiments and research again, but to do that, they need some of the files from the police back."

"We'll see what we can do for them," Delaney nodded.

"Is there anyone you could think of that would want to harm Sandra?" Carson asked closing his writing pad.

"Other then the animal rights people, not that I could think of. I mean, even the animal lovers backed off once she put the seal of approval from the animal precinct on the website that she created."

"I've seen the sight. There isn't that much information on the projects themselves," Delaney nodded.

"This research is still being conducted. Sandra was always cautious when it came to her projects. Always looking over her shoulder at others who may want to steal her ideas. I guess it ran in the family."

"Why do you say that?" Carson butted in.

"One of her relatives, I think it was her uncle, was always paranoid about some one stealing something of his. I can't remember what it was, but he always was going on about it to her. She took it to heart."

"Well, thank you for your time. We will be in touch," Delaney nodded and handed him her card. Carson nodded at the professor and walked out of the building with Delaney by his side.

"That was short lived," Carson turned to her as they reached the car, "What do you think? Lead suspect?"

"He's not the one... but he is taking her disappearance pretty well," she scratched her head and then sat inside the car, "I mean, if my fiancée disappeared and thought to be raped and possibly murdered I'd be in hysterics. There isn't anything in her lab either. If there was, the other precinct would have told us before handing over the case. He's just... handling this so well. I wonder if he will call the engagement off after a few months if we don't find her or a body."

"Speaking of engagements," Carson hopped into the driver's seat, "When exactly were you going to tell me and the rest of the guys about _your_ recent engagement?"

"What?! How did you-"

"I can't miss that Princess cut on your finger for long, partner," he chuckled, "So... when's the wedding? And more importantly... am I invited?"


	7. Chp 6: Inspiration

**A/N:** You all thought I was dead, didn't you? Well, surprise, I got away from work and school long enough to actually type out this chapter. It's okay... but it's fragmented and seems a little shorter lived then other chapters. Thankfully the next one will be a bit more exciting, so look foward to it. I will be typing it as soon as I can. Thanks for reviewing and reading, please continue to do so. I love to hear how I'm doing.

**Chapter Six:** Inspiration

"Okay, so what have you found out on this mystery professor that everyone seems so wrapped into?" Eros leaned over Donatello's shoulder as he searched on her new computer.

"Not all that much out of the ordinary, unfortunately," he sighed and leaned back in his chair, interlocking his fingers behind his head, "She was born in London, England. Moved to New York at nineteen years old to begin a fresh start on her own. She stayed after her education was over and began on her own research facility and theories. Everyone knows that she had the qualifications and talent for it."

Eros saw him click to bring up a photo of the woman on the large, flat plasma screen of the computer. She looked to be around twenty-six years old, maybe a few years younger. Her hair was wavy, cut just above her shoulders, but still long enough to be put back in a ponytail, if so desired. The color was a dark honey with natural blond highlights throughout. She had blue eyes that were almost as clear as water. Her lips were naturally a little pink and in combination her pearl white teeth gave her the perfect smile.

"She's very beautiful," Eros commented in a smug tone, as if she was in competition with the missing professor.

"I guess," he shrugged and clicked into some research files that littered the rest of the screen, "I am more interested in her experiments."

"Always looking straight past everything else to the brain of the girl," Eros smiled, in a way relieved that Donatello did not find the missing professor that attractive.

"Not true," he smirked and quickly turned his chair around, catching her off guard and grabbed her into his lap, "I have to look at personality before I can even touch on the brain."

He turned the chair back to the computer with Eros across his lap, her knees hooked over one of the arm rests and her shoulders resting against the other arm rest. She giggled at him as they spun in the chair, and draped her arms around his neck.

"That's a good thing for me then."

"What is that suppose to mean?" he sunk back in the chair to look down at her, "You have a brilliant mind."

"When it comes to toddler toys..."

"Everybody has their strong suits," he leaned down and began to kiss her jaw line and neck, "And your strong suits are not all suited to toddler toys either…"

"Uh huh," she smiled and pushed him back gently, "Don't start with it Donnie. You have to admit, most of the time I _am_ a total airhead. And I don't have that many instances where I am thinking clearly."

"But you are a beautiful airhead," he commented and kissed the tip of her nose before he turned back to the computer screen.

"Ah ha! Now I see it all, Donatello," she smiled, "You do have to at least glance at looks when it comes to women, don't you? Don't deny it!"

"When did I ever say that?"

"You don't have to," she smirked and nuzzled the side of his face, "I may be a beautiful airhead, but there are some things that I just have to know and recognize."

"Yeah, okay," he rolled his eyes and kissed her slowly on the lips, "Now, are you going to let me get back to searching for some information? Or are you going to let Delaney and Carson go without?"

"I am very tempted to let them do with out tonight," she pouted and kissed him on his neck before leaning her head on his shoulder.

He let out what sounded like a sarcastic, exasperated breath and focused back on the computer screen. Page after page and window after window of information passed over the screen. The brainy turtle followed the information with ease, going over some of the chemical compositions and research before a moment's time was done. Eros tried to keep up the best she could from Donatello's shoulder, but after the first ten windows passed her by, she gave up and closed her eyes. She snuggled in toward him and began to think about sleep more than about the information that Delaney had asked for. Besides, she couldn't understand most of the chemical and technological mumbo jumbo anyway. The quantum equations snagged Donatello's attention while she would rather read more on the professor's background, instead of her research. Sometimes, it surprised her how she and Donatello even got together with their differences in hobbies.

"How did you get into her research anyway?" she peeked her eyes open and looked up at him as he sped read through the information, "I thought that Delaney said that she couldn't look it up on the computer. All she could find was the overall theme or whatever of the facility and research."

"There is no 'theme or whatever' when it comes to research," he said in a smug tone.

"Okay, well… Delaney still couldn't find all of this online."

"That may be true…" he trailed off as he read over more lines and moved on to another window, "… but she isn't a genius hacker is she?"

"You got a point there," Eros turned back to the screen, "So how _did_ you get into the system?"

"Let's just say that when you are as good as I am," he clicked on the keyboard and then closed a few of the windows, "You can look up anything on the information super highway. Besides, there are some secrets that are meant to be kept. Especially when it comes to _my_ hacking secrets."

"Meanie," she pouted and kicked her feet a little as she saw him grin down at her. She had to get used to the shape of the chair they were sitting in, even though by sitting on his lap made it a bit easier for her. She had to buy the chair especially for him since the one that originally came with the desk set didn't fit him. She was kind of disappointed that she had to buy another chair, but that meant that she could use it in another section of the apartment.

All at once another window popped up and Eros realized that Donatello stopped clicking and typing. She turned to the screen to find a face of an older looking man in the corner and quite a few tables of information. She could feel Donatello stiffen when the window popped up. She looked up at her boyfriend with a questioning glance.

"This was defiantly unexpected…" he scrolled down the page much slower then he had with any of the other windows. He went deep into the information on the screen and was nearly lost in all the graphs and tables.

"What is it?" Eros was finally able to follow along with him and started to read on the strange man in the corner and his research with a large corporation.

Donatello leaned back once again, took a deep breath and pointed at the picture of the man, "I know him…"

"You mean **_of_** him, don't you?"

"No. I mean that I know him on a personal level. All of us do. Leo, Raph, Mikey and Splinter," he leaned forward again, "And he knows all about us too."

"A professor?" she guessed on his profession from the white lab coat and thick-rimmed glasses that he wore in the picture, "He didn't even want to study you guys?"

"Originally he did, but after we rescued him he changed his mind."

"Who is he?"

"I didn't think that I would ever see him again after that night," he looked at the picture and hugged Eros lightly, "Professor Jordon Perry."

* * *

"Any new info from your 'source'?" Carson asked as he passed a glance at his partner who put down the phone she was speaking into earlier.

"Apparently our Professor Karten had a little inspiration for her research," Delaney looked at the notes that she took during her talk on the phone with Donatello. Most of the information was new to her; she didn't even find a trace of most of the chemicals or processes on the Internet site. It seemed like Donatello dug this stuff up like it was some research for a term paper or school report. She just didn't know how he did it, and he sure as heck wasn't going to tell her any time soon.

"Now why would you say that?" he said sarcastically, knowing that she was about to tell him anyway.

"Miss Karten had a known interest in the mutant variation of genes. Some of these said mutations are caused by huge corporations…like TGRI for example. Do you remember them?"

"TGRI?" Carson quirked an eyebrow, "Didn't they close down a good eleven years ago? And then try to clean up what they had dumped in the city?"

"Yeah, the same company also reported that some of their chemicals had mutanagenic properties that caused changes in the life forms around the dump sights. You know, like living organisms."

"What? Did the stuff create something like giant dandelions and turtles with three eyes and multiple arms and legs?" he joked.

Delaney smiled to herself, "Something like that."

"So what does TGRI have to do with our vic? As far as I knew, she wasn't even working for them at all. She was only working in her own personal lab. I mean, people worked for the woman, not the other way around."

"TGRI was the basis of her research. Her starting point, if you will," she closed the notepad and looked at her partner, "More specifically on the works of one Professor Jordon Perry. He was the lead scientist that overlooked much of the production of hazardous materials and also the disposal of those materials if need be."

"You know what they say about geeks…" Carson leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands down his face.

"No, I don't. What is it they say about geeks? Why don't you go ahead and tell me what they say about geeks," Delaney looked at the notes and the growing file on the case.

"They love to stick to one another," he smiled as if he had proven a point, "Always seek one another out."

"I know of at least one geek that doesn't stick to others."

"Is he isolated by his computer all day, playing the latest version of Internet Dungeons and Dragons?"

"Not completely," Delaney though about how Eros usually found a way to get next to Donatello and even sits in his lap as he researches or types. Donatello often finds it difficult, but finds a way around it to make her comfortable.

Delaney took out her highlighter and began to mark down the similarities and differences between Sandra and the other women that were missing. All she needed to do is get some more suspects and find out what was going on with Sandra and the others. There was still no guess on who had taken the prostitutes or runaways. As far as they knew, they had all drowned in a tragic pier incident during a territory battle. Since she hadn't known of any recent territory battles between the prostitutes and there hadn't been any reports of injured women, there was a very good chance that they were either all dead or they were all taken to the same place. Delaney put down the file and took a huge sigh letting out all of the air from her lungs. She combed her fingers through her hair and picked the file up again. She may be falling asleep, but it wasn't going to stop her from finding the person who did this to these women.

"Why don't you go home?" Carson asked from his desk watching Delaney's actions, "You look tired. Get some sleep, will ya?"

"Right… _sleep_…is there such a thing in our line of work?" she stood up and stretched her back muscles and popped a few of her vertebrae. She took a look at the mess on the desk and began to put her notebook and writing utensils away.

"Do you mind if I take the files home tonight? I could get a jump on them in the morning before coming in."

"Could I stop you if I said no?" he smirked and pushed the files to her on her way out.

"You know me too well," she smiled and hit him in the arm as she passed him, "Don't stay up too late now."

"Yes, mother dearest," he said joking toward her retreating figure, "And say my congrats to Mikey!"

Delaney waved over her head as she disappeared behind the heavy doors of the precinct with her shoulder bag weighing her down on one side.

* * *

"So how is it that you guys happened to know Professor Perry?" Amity asked from the side of the living room.

The whole group had decided to have a group discussion about the case so far. Delaney never really had- or wanted to- get the others into her cases. Some were just too gruesome and others were just so traumatizing that she didn't want her family to suffer through it with her. The only reason that Michelangelo got caught up in it was because he would have followed her even if she did say no. And she knew that for a fact. But this case was a doozie and she really needed the help from the others. Not to mention that they now had the direct connection to another one of turtles' 'acquaintances' from one of their past adventures.

"Well, at the time, TGRI was cleaning up and disposing of all the ooze that they had created over the years," Leonardo explained, "Through some sloppy disposal techniques and cleaning, not only were we created, but a few of our friends and plants were affected."

"What TGRI didn't expect was an evil guy getting his greedy claws on the last canister and causing some chaos," Raphael added, "Not to mention he thought he needed to settle some things with us."

"Professor Perry was captured and we had to rescue him," Michelangelo finished, "Not to mention Raph as well."

"I coulda handled it," Raph snorted and crossed his arms over his plastron.

"He didn't want to study you guys at all?" Callista was a bit perplexed, "I mean, you guys are pretty interesting. I wouldn't think that a professor would let a thing like that pass him by. Especially one that is at least partially responsible for your creation."

"Well, he sure was happy to see us," Michelangelo smiled as he recalled the memory of the night they rescued the poor guy, "As the professor dude once said, 'Four walking, talking turtles… brilliant!'"

"But how did Sandra get a hold of the research from TGRI?" Delaney began to pace the room to find an answer, "I would have thought that the TGRI files would be under lock and key. Even after all these years, I would think that people would have trouble accessing them. Well, exclude our genius hacker, Donnie that is."

"The thing it they are classified… or at least they were as far we knew," Raphael butted in.

"They were very well encoded, but if you actually think about the possibilities guys…" Donatello thought for a moment before continuing, "If Professor Karten was skilled in computer technology, as I would think she was, she could have hacked in to them with no problem. Besides, we never really knew what had happened to Professor Perry or the last canister of ooze after the night with Tokka and Razor in that club."

"Tokka and Razor?" Callista whispered to Raphael.

"I'll tell you later," he nodded and looked back at Donatello, "But didn't he say he was going to dispose of that stuff before he left?"

"What people say and do are sometimes two completely different things," Delaney mumbled and took a deep breath, "Do you think there is any way that he may have kept the canister to himself? Since he understood what it could really do. I mean, Callista is right. You guys _are_ pretty impressive as far as life forms go."

"Nice to hear, babe," Michelangelo smiled up at her from the couch.

Leonardo shook his head, "I wouldn't think so. He also had a very good idea of what it could do in the _wrong_ hands. I still trust that he did the right thing and got rid of the stuff as promised. There is no real reason that he would keep that stuff around."

"Is there any chance that Professor Karten could remake the ooze somehow?" Amity asked looking over some of the papers that Donatello and Eros printed out, "I mean, these reports from TGRI are very detailed and look like they could just about do it. And if she is as skilled as Donatello says…"

"She couldn't make some more ooze, even if she wanted to from _that_ stuff," Donatello shook his head, "She would practically have to have Perry or his brain to get through it. No one could make heads or tails of that research without him. It would be absolutely impossible for them to comprehend. It's impossible for _me_ to comprehend."

"She did have an interest in his research. Maybe even an obsession with it," Delaney nodded and finally sat down next to Michelangelo.

"Even so…" he trailed off; unlikely to comprehend that someone may be able to out do him in intelligence.

"Hey! I have an idea that we can all do together to get our spirits back up!" Michelangelo smiled.

"No Monopoly!" his brothers shouted at him. He deflated back into the couch and let Delaney comfort him.

"Let's just rest for a while… it's been a long night. We have had a lot of information to take in. I think that we all need a break to be able to digest it," Leonardo nodded to them all and they all went their separate ways for the night. Unknown to the girls, the guys had another thought on their mind other then Delaney's case. A thought that plagued them for most of their lives. The possibility that was all ways present, and was always nagging at the back of their subconscious.

'If there is more ooze out there then we originally had thought… could there be more mutants?… More mutants like us?'


	8. Chp 7: Losses

**A/N:** Hey all. It's been a busy couple of weeks. Starting school and trying to balance it with work, is really, really difficult. I need a vacation all ready and it's not even half way through the semester. I don't know. I hope all of you are doing well. And here is the next chapter. It's in little pieces once again, but you all will see it beginning to pull together. Although, I know you will all think me evil by the end of this chapter. Mwahahaha! Enjoy.

**Chapter Seven: **Losses

Delaney stumbled into the living room of her apartment a little after eight in the evening. Callista wanted the girls to try out her new line of shirts and "jojo"s. Eros was complaining the whole way through the session until she actually found something that interested her. Actually, it was a whole _section_ in the store that interested her. It took a good hour or so more then the group had planned since Eros had to stifle her shopping craze. Eventually she was satisfied and had a good three bags filled with new garments to show Donatello when she got home. That is if he didn't go back to the lair after waiting for her to get home.

Although, Delaney couldn't blame Eros for caving in to buying something from Callista's store. She too had to get a few more shirts that she saw when walking with Eros. Dropping her bags to the ground, Delaney heard the refrigerator door close and a satisfied looking Michelangelo coming out from the kitchen. He smiled when he saw her and came over to greet her with arms wide open.

"I was wondering when you were getting home," he hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"You run out of the essentials down in the lair again?" she smiled knowingly at Michelangelo and then nodded to a now empty bag of potato chips and an empty pizza box that once held her left over pizza from the night before.

"You know me too well," he chuckled and ran over to the couch and jumped over the back to lay across the full length, "When are you going to put the ornaments away?"

She took a deep sigh and looked over at the side of the room where the boxes of ornaments that were once on the tree, "I'm just happy that I put the tree away by New Years. I may just push those ornaments behind something so I won't have to lug them back into the hall closet."

"You just that tired?" he looked her over from the couch and knew that the Karten case was taking a lot out of her recently. Even more so then the Burgand case ever could. That guy was messy and left a trail for a while, but this new perpetrator had smarts.

"I'm just that lazy," she walked around the couch and collapsed next to him. He leaned his shell against the armrest of one side of the couch so she could lay with him and then began to change the channel. He changed the stations a few more times until he landed on "Ghost Hunters" and made a satisfied hum. He wrapped his arms around her and let her get comfortable against his plastron.

"You getting nervous at all?" he asked her once she laid her head his upper arm.

"About the ghost hunt?" she chuckled a bit at the question.

"About the wedding plans," he looked at her ring.

"Let's find a preacher or reverend that will do the ceremony first and then we can talk about getting nervous," she smiled.

"What about a Spring wedding?" he continued.

Delaney rolled her eyes knowing that he wasn't going to drop the subject of the wedding and began to play along, "What month were you thinking of?"

"Maybe around in May…"

"But that my birthday!"

"Not the whole month," he chuckled and rubbed th top of her head affectionately, "It will give us a good five months to get it planned."

"Right… you mean four in a half months," she looked at the new calendar on the wall, "Remember, New Years was just last week."

"And that party was a blast!" Michelangelo punched at the air above him, "I never knew that Casey could throw that kind of party."

"I never want to see Raph drunk ever again," Delaney pinched the ridge of her nose at the memory of New Years Eve, "Man did he get it from Callista. Although, she was almost just as bad off."

"It's normal for me to see him like that," he nodded, "I've seen him totally hammered and it still doesn't affect me in any way."

"See what normalization does to ya," she smiled.

"Normal-whata?" he looked down at her weird.

"Normalization," she repeated looking at him, "It's a theory proposed by a man named Moynihan that a society- or a group of individuals- will become used to an act- sometimes horrendous ones- over time. If these acts are done more often over time then it becomes normal to the society."

Michelangelo just stared at her and then shook his head, "Sometimes I think that you remember too much from your training days and bring it home."

"Yeah, yeah," she waved him off and thought for a moment, "Hey Mikey, where do you consider home?"

"What?"

"Home… you keep referring to the apartment as home," she looked around, "but you still live down at the lair. At least most of the time"

"Well, when I say it, I mean that this is your home."

"But it isn't my home…"

"What are you talking about?"

"This is just my place of residence… the lair is the only home that I feel safe and absolutely loved. This just seems so artificial up here."

"You saying that when we tie the knot, you want to come down and live with me?" he smiled.

"Why not? I usually spend the majority of my time down there with the group anyway."

"Well, don't jump at the opportunity, babe," he rolled his eyes.

"But the way," she took a breath after laughing at his sarcasm, "When are we going to tell the others about our engagement?"

"Others?"

"Yeah… Leo, Raph, Don, Amity, Eros, Callista…. You know, the people that we practically live with?"

"Oh yeah, them," he rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I told Splinter, but he actually told me to wait when it came to the guys. He said I would know when. I hate it when he does stuff like that."

"Does that?"

"Gives me that 'mystic advice', you know? It's like he knows too much or something like that. I don't know… it just seems-like…like-"

"Splinter," she whispered, "It's Splinter."

He turned to her, "You know, that's the best explanation I've heard."

She settled back into him and they got back into the show to watch the results of the last ghost hunt.

* * *

"Professor Kanin, may we have a word?" 

Delaney and Carson walked up to a thin woman that looked to be around her mid to late twenties as she exited the science building toward her car. Her bushy brown hair was swept back by her lab, safety glasses. Another gentleman was walking with her to her car. Apparently the man was either another associate in the research or another professor in the building. They both turned to theto the two detectives and Kanin's eyes held a questioning glance.

"Detective Chasin and Carson," she greeted as she relised who they were, "I was hoping to meet you two soon. Thank you for getting our research and equipment back to us so quickly. You have no idea how much it means to us to continue our research."

"I know," Carson took off his sunglasses and put them into his breast pocket, "Losing your top researcher must be bad enough for all of you. A tremendous loss, I'm sure."

"Yes… Sandra," she took the glasses from the top of her head and looked down, "She was always the smartest one in the building."

"I'm guessing that you two didn't get along?" Delaney leaned to one side as she looked over the female professor.

"We were like sisters, detective," she took a chance and glared in Delaney's direction.

"Did you fight?"

"Every sister does, don't they? It comes with the partnership," she sighed and handed her glasses to the man at her side, "We had a few opposing ideas on quite a few things. Why, does that make me a suspect?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Carson titled his head to either side as if playing with the professor.

"Was there any sign that Sandra was leaving for any reason?"

"Not that I know of. She was happy with her work. Very happy on how it was coming as well," she turned to the man that was standing next to her, "Isn't that right, Victor?"

The man nodded his head in agreement. He was very impressive looking to be a scientist. He stood a good six foot and maybe another three inches by Delaney's guess. His dark eyes matched very well with his black hair that was slicked back by either oil or gel. He looked well built, even with his lab cout over his clothes. Other then that, he wasn't all that good looking. His gigantic nose stuck out toward the detectives and the huge glasses that covered his eyes only made his dark eyes even more prominent.

"Excuse me... Victor?" Delaney asked looking at the giant scientist.

"Yes, Victor Grinford," Kanin stepped foward, "He's my research assiant. I wouldn't be able to get half of my work done without his help."

"Maybe I should stop by to ask you some questions, Mr. Grinford," Delaney looked at the man. He again nodded at her. Apparently he was one of those people of few words.

"What disagreements did you have with Professor Karten concerning work?" Carson asked flipping out his small notebook.

"I never said that we argued about work," she gave a bigger glare to Carson and Victor seemed to give him something that resembled a growl.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked back with a smirk, knowing that he hit a big nerve.

"When it came to test specimens and how to proceed with the research, yes, we did have our disagreements," she nodded and let out a sigh, "Sandra wanted 'artificial' everything. We needed live specimens."

"You mean the animals?" Delaney asked.

"Yes, the living tissue is vital to test out hypothesis."

"Which is?"

"I am not able to discuss with unauthorized personnel."

"How does that not surprise me?" Carson folded his arms across his chest.

"Well, if you two detectives don't mind," Kanin headed toward her car and opened the driver's door while giving Victor a nod to get in the passanger seat, "We both have to get some sleep before tonight. Good morning to the both of you, detectives."

"Same to you," Carson said as she drove off with Victor, "So what's your impression her, partner?"

"I think that we can add her to our suspect list," she let out a breath, "Her and her associate, Victor."

"A 'jealous Co-worker' her motivation?"

"A jealous _competitor_…" Delaney thought to herself and turned to Carson, "I'll show you in some of the files I left back at my apartment. This may be more than a technological disagreement on the animals and equipment."

"Tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, but until then let's move on the evidence collected on the lab search. I believe that dear Professor Kanin doesn't realize how much we actually know about her experiments."

"Ooo… sounds like fun," he twirled his fingers in the air and sighed.

"Come on you," she opened the driver's side to the car and hopped in.

* * *

Splinter slowly exhaled and began to meditate once again. Something was off about this night. Something sinister lurked in the shadows, ready to injure some one in his family. He knew that Leonardo felt it too. Through their training this morning, his eldest son seemed distracted and worried. His other sons seemed the same way, but they were worried more for his declining health then of the foreboding presence. 

Splinter closed his eyes and tired to reach a place of pure thought and felt himself slipping away. He opened his eyes in surprise from the feeling. He knew that it was going to be soon, but he didn't think that it would be this night. He didn't want to leave this plane yet. His family was in danger and he wanted to leave them in peace. Taking a few breaths, he knew that he cannot fight it forever, no matter how much he wants to stay. But in the least, he can warn his sons.

He slowly put his staff on the ground to push himself up and headed for the main portion of the lair where he heard his sons talking amongst themselves.

* * *

Delaney ruffled her own hair in thought as she continued to scan over the documents concerning the case. She was laying on her stomach on the floor of her bedroom with the Karten file in front of her. Her head was beginning to ache and she was getting worried about Michelangelo. He was always here by this time, unless he forgot to tell her about a midnight run. She let out another frustrated breath and looked at a smaller picture of Sandra Karten. She could swear that she now knew every line of the young woman's face. 

"What the Hell happened to you?" she stared into the eyes of the picture. She looked to her left to find her warm cup of apple cider and took a sip.

A couple of names kept popping up everywhere in the documentation, but they were mostly other scientists and associates. But above all, Kanin's and the mysterious Mr. Grinford's names popped up more often through her reading. Apparently they were as dedicated to this project as Karten was.

A sound from the living room grabbed her attention and dragged her out of her deep thoughts. She shook her head and watched the bedroom door to spot the intruder before they spotted her. Hopeful that it was just Michelangelo getting back from an early run of the city she looked at her engagement ring now sitting on her right ring finger. She moved it to the opposite hand to make sure that her friends didn't find out about the engagement before Michelangelo told his brothers. They both wanted to tell all of them at one time.

The bedroom door opened a little more to show a small orange head peek from behind the door. Klunk gave a small meow of greeting and began to walk over to Delaney. She smiled and let out a breath of disappointment and relief. The noise must have been from the cat jumping to the floor from the small window he manages to climb through. Klunk walked straight up to Delaney, ignoring the fact that he was now sitting on some very important documents. A paw came up and nudged at the young detective's face.

"Yeah, I see you," she patted the cat's head and took a deep sigh, "Now if only your owner would get his shell over here to help me out."

Klunk meowed up at her and nudged his face against hers, pressing his forehead to her cheek.

Delaney laughed lightly at the cat, "Thanks for agreeing with me."

Suddenly the phone rang next to the bed surprising Delaney. She looked at her watch, amazed that any of her friends would call her at eleven o' clock at night unless it was an emergency. Pushing off the ground she could feel a slight hint of an evil presence. Something that shouldn't be there. As the phone range again, Klunk jumped on the bed to face the phone and began to hiss and growl at the phone. With her senses on high alert, Delaney made her way to the phone and saw Eros's cell number flash over the caller ID.

"It's okay, Klunk. I feel it too," Delaney patted the cat's head and picked up the phone, "Eros? What's up?"

For the first time since Delaney has known Eros, she didn't greet her back with her normal energetic 'hi' or invitation for a movie. Instead she heard silence and then she could pick up some heavy breathing from the other end.

"Eros? Are you okay?" Delaney looked down at Klunk who still had an unsettling look upon his kitty face, "Eros?"

"D…" Eros's voice was weak, and she sounded like she had been crying. Suddenly her voice hitched as if she was scared by something on the other end.

Then… there was another voice. A strong, male voice that sure as Hell was not Donatello's.

"Detective Chasin?"

"Who is this?" Delaney growled, clutching the phone tightly.

"You don't know by now?" th voice tried to sound cocky, "And here I thought you were one of the most talented detectives in your unit. So highly thought of, and can't figure out who the bad guy is?"

"Just give me some time and I promise I'll see you behind bars."

"Well, if you don't know my identity by now, maybe I shouldn't spoil the surprise."

"Cut the bullshit. What do you want?" she spate and began pacing the room with the wireless phone in hand.

"You," the voice stated simply, "I just want you."

"At the moment I'm taken," stated simply in a deadpan voice, wishing that Michelangelo really was there with her.

"Stop on the case, Miss Chasin. It's none of your buisness, and it will be over before you know it."

"Actually, you just made it my personal business, dude," she looked out her window to the street below. She thought her option over for a moment, "You have to learn that you don't miss with family."

"Would you rather your pretty little friend here get hurt?" A sharp intake of breath was taken on the other side of the conversation, "Drop the case. Or we will get very serious."

"Okay!" Delaney said hastily, "What do I have to do to get you off my back?"

"Come down to the North East Dock... alone. We will have a nice little chat. **_All _**of us will."

"All of- who are you talking about?"

"He's got Brain and Cal!" Eros's frantic voice came from the background noise.

"Let go of me, you dumb ass!" Callista's voice could be heard from what sounded like beside Eros.

"I expect you to be at the docks in one hour, detective,"

And the phone suddenly went dead. Delaney looked at Klunk who moewed and gently pawed at her side.

"I know, Klunk. It's not a very good plan, but I have to do this," she put on her long jacket and wrote a quick note on a small piece of paper, "They're missing with the wrong family here."

She turned to the orange cat and carefully attached the piece of paper tot he collar. Afterwards, she picked up her essentials and walked to the door, with the cat not too far behind her.

"Go take the note to Mikey, Klunk," she whispered to the cat, "Understand? Mikey."

The cat tilted his head to the side, but soon exited out his window he came through earlier and climbed down to the city streets below. Delaney took a deep breath and locked her apartment door behind her.

* * *

"You have known that this day was coming for many years, my sons," Splinter spoke weakly from his bed, "I have tried to prepare you for as long as I could. Now it is my time to go peacefully...and leave you to live your own lives." 

The four turtles sat silently by their father's bedside, two on each side. Each were holding back their emotions as well as they could. It happened so fast. Splinter had come out tot he tell them something, and just collapsed before even reaching them. Straight to the floor, and they all knew that it was time. He was leaving, and none of them could do anything to stop it.

"Keep all the wisdom collected in your life and pay no heed to your fears. If you all stay together, and stay strong- stay a family- you all can and will overcome anything," he took a shallow breath and began to close his eyes, "I love you all, my sons. And more proud than I can ever express. Stay true to your hearts... and they will lead you through a full life."

"Yes Master Splinter," all four of them mumbled in unison.

The old rat smiled and took another breath, "I ask to go with my family by my side. Stay true... remember...yourself... remember me... remember... family..."

As of time had slowed, Splinter released his last breath and his words lingered in the air. A silent reminder of a Master, Sensei and above all else... a father.

Leonardo tried to stay immobile. If he stayed in this position for the rest of this night, he wouldn't have to break down. He wouldn't have to cry. He scanned his father's face still graced with a peaceful smile. Splinter was happy that they were there. He was happy that he got to say goodbye.

Donatello let a sob escape from his throat and leaned foward to cry into his hands. Michelangelo also began to break down, but let silent tears fall down his cheeks and beak, instead of sobbing uncontrollably into his hands, like Donatello. He leaned toward the purple wearing turtle and patted him on the shoulder. They turned to one another and hugged each other for comfort. Their tears would not recede for a while. The tears would be accepted. Raphael on the other hand looked at his father and bowed his head in respect and mourning. Looking to his side he saw that Leonardo still had made no move toward any emotion since Splinter said his last word.

Raphael put an hand lightly on his brother's shoulder, only to feel Leonardo jump at his touch, "Leo?"

"He's gone..." Leonardo mumbled and began to breath harshly "...left this plane..."

"And we're still a family, bro," Raphael nodded, letting a small tear fall down his beak.

Leonardo finally tore his gaze from Splinter to face his brother. He looked at his younger siblings all ready in a tight embrace to seek comfort. They were still brothers, they were still alive, and they were not going anywhere. Both Raphael and Leonardo tried to keep up a strong facade, but in the end, both failed miserably. Leonardo grabbed his brother in a strong hug and they both released their emotions. The trusted themselves to one another, and let the tears flow.

And in the lair... there was an air of sorrow... and peace...

* * *

Delaney paced at the edge of the dock. It was five until midnight and she felt uneasy. Not just about the meeting, but something else was wrong. Something was happening other then this and she felt an overwhelming feeling that she was needed elsewhere. Suddenly, out of no where she felt a ripping at her heart. It felt as if something had been torn from her life, and she had no idea what it was. Fear was starting to envelope her as she thought that one of her friends decided to fight and was killed just for the hell of it. She tried to close her eyes to block the images out, but she couldn't at first. She had to shake her head a few times to clear the images, but she finally did it. 

She opened her eyes and began to scan the area around her. She wanted her friends back, and she wanted them back now.

"Detective?" a man still partly shroaded by shadows stepped toward her, "You come alone?"

"As promised," she nodded, "Now, let my friends go, you asshole."

"When did we make that arrangement?"

Before she could protest or even move for her gun, and hand covered her mouth and nose, blocking her breathing process. Delaney smelled the clorophorm on the rag that now covered her face. She fought the darkness as well as the strong hand that held the cloth over her face. She couldn't fight the black away, and she was scared. For the first time in quite a while, she was really scared.

'I can't go... I gotta... gotta... tell...Mi...key...'

And then there was darkness.

**A/N:** Told you... I'm evil, I tell you! Evil!


	9. Chp 8: Competitor

**A/N:** Hello everybody! Once again I have found a small amount of time to type you all the next chapter. I hope you all aren't going to riot or anything anytime soon. Here is the next chapter, all ready for you to read and enjoy. I hopefully can get started on typing the nextchapter soon, if school and work don't get in the way that is. And by the way, thanks for all those who caught those typos on my last chapter. I, once again, was typing in the Quickedit box instead of in word and missed up on quite a few words. Sorry about that, and I hope this chapter is better. Love you all and I hope you keep reviewing!

**Chapter Eight:** Competitor

Michelangelo slowly paced his room, trying to find the heart and courage to call Delaney about Splinter's passing. He knew that she would want to know that it had happened, but he wasn't so sure if she should hear about it over the phone. On the other hand, he needed to be with his brothers and in all honesty he really needed them now too. Even Raphael. They were each other's comfort and normalcy. But if he didn't call her, she more than likely will hear it from Amity, Callista or Eros. He wanted to be the one to tell her, and be there for her when the time came.

He shook his head to clear the confusing options and took a deep breath, "Okay Mike. Get it together. She deserves to know and you know it."

Taking a few steps to the payphone in the main portion of the lair, he couldn't help but listen in on what was happening in his brother's rooms. He heard his brothers either still crying or talking to themselves. He could hear the shifting of feet on the floors of their bedrooms. They were all pacing just like he was. More than likely trying to find the courage to make the call to the girls, or to find a way to drag themselves out of their rooms to open area of the lair. They all knew that they _would_ eventually have to come out to talk about it. They always did. Sometimes they would try to push it off until they couldn't avoid the topic anymore. But not this time. This time they couldn't push it off much longer. This time they will talk about it as soon as possible. Because this time… they had to.

* * *

No one really notices much on the busy streets of New York City these days. People are so distracted on their way to or from work, or trying to plan the next event in their lives. They have their minds on other things and other problems in their lives when walking down the streets or trying to catch a cab from the curb. Traffic races by creating its own wind and noise that just adds to the already complex commotion of the crowds. Every one of these people all ready so confident that they have 'seen it all' won't even think to look at a small shot of bright color just on the outside of their peripheral vision. Of course, through all of this uproar, not one of these busy people would think to notice the orange cat running from alleyway to alleyway with a small note attached to his collar. 

Klunk tried to keep a fast pace toward his master's underground home. As he rushed through the streets, cars sped past him, throwing water from the puddles on the asphalt onto the sidewalk where people tried to avoid the water from getting on their suits and dresses. As hard as the cat tried not to get hit with water as well, Klunk could not completely dodge a large wave created by a huge truck speeding past. He jumped in response and managed to escape most of the moister. Although he didn't know that Delaney's note took most of the moisture, smearing most of the words.

He shook off the water that clung to his fur and continued toward the lair. He knew that something was wrong. Something was very off. And only his master can fix it.

* * *

The phone receiver felt a little warmer than what it should. One of his brothers may have used it to call April and Casey. It was more than likely Leonardo that did so, if anyone. Donatello was still pretty shook up and Raphael could punch a hole through another wall at any time. Michelangelo doubted that either one of them had the strength to tell anyone the news. Because of the call April and Casey may come down later with Shadow for dinner or just to talk. The turtles may be twenty-six years old now, but April still saw them as the teenagers that saved her from those thugs that night outside the television studio. She still tries to take care of them the best she could and uphold her role as their older sister in the missed up world. At times Michelangelo really appreciated the thought. It shows that someone cares for them up there on the surface other than the girls. 

It was the first time, at least from what he could remember, where he was at a loss for words. He dialed her number into the telephone slowly, hoping to prolong the inevitable. He felt tears begin to come back to his eyes and in his throat after the first couple of rings. Although, by the fifth ring he was starting to get worried. She must not be home. He hung up the phone and tried her cell phone. She may have decided to go out with the girls to dinner since he didn't come to the apartment, and if that were the case she wouldn't have her shell cell with her. He glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was two-thirty am. It was a lot later than he thought. She couldn't be out this late, could she? Especially not with a huge case to work on.

Another six rings and the message service came on and he left a message, "Hey hon… I think we need to talk- well, I know we need to talk. It's… it's Splinter. Um… go ahead and call my shell cell. I hope you're okay. You're not answering your phone and I know that you're home by now. Call me back soon, okay? I love you… later."

As soon as he set down the phone he saw Klunk strolling down the tunnel up to him. Klunk meowed as he entered the room, as if he was announcing his arrival to all those who didn't know. Michelangelo took his cat up in his arms and squeezed him gently. But there was something off. Klunk was… crinkling a bit and squishing in other places. Michelangelo held him at arms length and saw the piece of paper on his collar. He also recognized Delaney's handwriting on the outside flap.

"Whatcha' got there, Klunk?" he tore the piece of paper off of his collar and noticed that water still clung to the paper, "Now how did this get so wet? Let's open this up and see what Delaney's got up her sleeve…"

He tried desperately not to tear the damp paper and watched as some of the water smeared most of the words together.

"Let's see what we can salvage… Mikey, 8-3-1… smear… something came up… smear… case… smear… I'll see you tomorrow… smear… more smears… hopefully…. smear… Delaney."

Klunk meowed up at his owner and pawed at his leg. Michelangelo looked down at him, "What did she mean by 'hopefully'?"

"Whatcha' got, Mikey?" Raphael asked as he made his way down the lair's stairs, surprising his younger brother.

"It's a note from Delaney," he said with a sigh, "It sounds like she's pulling all an all nighter for a case or something. Don't know if it's the Karten one or not. Apparently Klunk's not the best or most reliable message service."

Raphael read over his brother's shoulder, "It's soaked. Why don't you just call her?"

"Like I said, she's pulling an all nighter, I don't want to disturb her."

"You've all ready tried, haven't you?" he crossed his arms over his plastron while looking at Michelangelo with a smirk.

"Yeah… she's not answering."

"It might be better that way for now," he took a deep breath and looked down at the floor, "It may be better that the girl's don't know about Splinter until we can be there for them, you know."

"I guess you're right," he nodded, "I'd much rather that she heard about it from me face to face instead of over the phone anyway."

Raphael leaned against the wall and tried to change to subject, "What the heck does Eight- thirty-one mean anyway?"

"It's a code that we have," Michelangelo smiled to himself.

"You two _would_ have a code," Raphael smirked and leaned against the couch, "What does it mean?"

"Eight letters, three words… one meaning."

"What?"

"It means 'I love you'," Donatello commented as he came down to join his brothers, "It's a kind of play on numbers."

"It makes me miss Delaney, you know," Michelangelo rubbed the back his head.

"I think it makes us miss all of them," Raphael nodded and sighed, closing his eyes, "I could really go for some insults from Callista right now."

"You two have the strangest relationship I have ever known," Donatello looked at Raphael with a confused look on his face.

"Yeah, but before we could go and tell them, we got to deal with more unpleasantries," Leonardo stood at the top of the stairs with his eyes cast down at his feet.

"We all know the drill," Raphael nodded and pushed off of the wall.

"I'll get the lights," Donatello added.

"And I'll get the tissues," Michelangelo ended the conversation walking toward the couch with Klunk at his heels.

* * *

'God, I hate chloroform,' Delaney felt herself become aware of her surroundings. She moaned as she moved her head and upper body to get a good feel of what hurt and what was still numb. 

"D?" Callista's voice emerged from the silence, "Hey, I think she's coming around, you guys."

"Thank God," that sounded like Amity. So it was true. He did take all of her friends. Who ever he was.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and tried to take a look around her immediate area. She still didn't have a complete control of her neck and couldn't move her head all too much. She was on some kind of cement floor. Her ears were still clogged as bad as her head was fogged up, but she could make out her friend's voices and other vague noises in the background. She couldn't quite identify what was making the noises in the far background, but that would change once she got her wits about her again. Before she could say anything, her friends were around her, making sure that she was okay. Callista and Eros pulled her from the floor and brought her to her feet in an attempt to get her talking and fully awake.

"Slow down guys…" she grumbled and held her head in one of her hands, "One step at a time here."

"Sorry D," Eros apologized and released the grip on her friend's arm a bit, "Just wanted to make sure that you can still talk and communicate."

"What the Hell happened?" Delaney rubbed her forehead a bit and then leaned against the wall next to some bars.

"They put you out with chloroform, girl," Eros stated.

"Yes, thank you for clearing that up for us all, Bulls eye," Callista nodded in sarcasm.

"Do you guys have any idea where we are?" Delaney clenched her eyes a few times to clear her foggy state of mind, "Any clues that you can give me here?"

"You tell us, Miss detective," Callista rolled her eyes.

"If I had a guess, I would say that we are in a very state of the art, experimental facility, equipped with some of the most unparalleled equipment and testing supplies," Amity took a look over her own shoulder and through the set of bars they were behind.

Delaney lifted her head and started to take in the setting beyond the bars. There were several, long, marble tables. Some had built in sinks and eye wash stations, while others had microscopes and Bunsen burners decorating the top of the tables. What looked like various chemicals and petri dishes cluttered the remaining space on the tables. She also caught sight of smaller cages at the other side of the room. She heard growling and other small noises from the cages. After some of her vision cleared she found small animals, kittens and puppies at the end of the room. Some of the smaller animals even included wild species, like the lynx, bush babies, foxes and even some birds. Next to that wall of cages there was another room, but the doorway was partially covered with a heavy cloth.

'What the Hell are they up to in here?' Delaney looked at the walls and tried to find some kind of clue to which scientific facility they were at. Although, she already have a good idea of where they were and who brought them there. Giving up on the walls, Delaney moved on to the tables, hoping to find maybe a small insignia or mark on the vials or lab equipment.

"What do you think, Delaney?" Eros asked looking at the room from beside her.

"I'm not sure yet, Eros. But I'm trying to figure it out," Delaney shook her head a little to shake off the rest of the chloroform. She lifted her head once again to the tables and started from the closest tables to the back of the room. At one end of one of the far tables Delaney caught sight of a bright green canister. She narrowed her eyes to focus a bit more and let her jaw drop as she realized what it was.

"Amity, tell me that isn't what I think it is," Delaney kept her eyes glued to the canister and didn't dare to blink in case it decided to disappear on her.

"What is it?" Amity took Eros's place next to Delaney and tried to follow her friend's line of sight. She looked around the object for a few moments, but then her eyes too locked on the bright canister.

"Please tell me it's my imagination that it's green," Callista joined into the canister gazing.

"You're not seeing things. I… I think… it's more…more…" Amity fought to find her speech.

"Mutagin," Professor Kanin came into the room, "It is mutagin. _My_ mutagin."

"Come now, Kanin," another voice came from behind her, "Let's not take responsibility for other people's accomplishments."

Delaney knew that voice. It was _his_ voice. She struggled to grab the bars and looked at the man as he walked into the light. It was Kanin's assistant, Grinford. He's the one who called her and threatened her friends. No wonder she didn't recognize his voice. He didn't say one word when they met. A grimace came to her face as she felt like spitting on the man's face. No one threatens her family. No one.

"What do you mean?" Kanin crossed her arms over her chest and pouted as if it was a game, "This _is_ my mutagin."

"Actually Kanin, I believe the original credit goes to one Professor Jordan Perry. He created the ooze," Delaney sneered at the two, "And I don't believe for one minute that you would be able to recreate it."

"Why recreate it, when I can improve it?" she sneered back.

"Not many people could even create the ooze to begin with," Delaney watched as Kanin began to walk toward the ooze canister on the table, "Not unless you actually had Professor Perry next to you. The molecular structure was too detailed. No one could understand it unless they took lessons with the guy himself."

"You've done your research, haven't you? I'm very impressed detective. Not many people even know of the original ooze or its creator," she smirked, "But I didn't need him. I had something just as good."

"And just what was that?" Amity asked.

"Now, why spoil the fun in having you girls hear it from me? If you're _so_ smart and clever… figure it out yourself," she chuckled and picked up the canister looking into the contents.

"How about you come in here and I can beat it out of you instead?" Callista shook her fist at the woman.

"Now, now Miss Jenas. Violence will get you no where here," Kanin shook her head.

"This coming from a woman who has kidnapped her associate and competition," Delaney glared at the woman, "What have you done with Sandra, Kanin?"

"Me?" she pointed at herself with a feigned innocent look, "I didn't do anything to her. She did it to herself. Pity… she _was_ the smartest one in the building."

"You can say that again," Eros whispered to herself.

"What did she do to herself then?" Delaney asked, trying to get the professor to talk a little more.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"For Christ's sake!" Callista rushed toward the bars, "This isn't a damn game we're playing here lady! She has a fiancée sitting worried for her safety! Not to mention she had a life!"

"You're right," she shrugged, "She _did_ have a life."

"You bitch," Callista pushed off the bars and started to pace toward the back of the confinement they were in, "Just give me the chance at you and I swear…"

"You'll do what, Miss Jenas?" Kanin asked from a good distance, "You'll send that fine mutated specimen you were talking to at your office after me?"

That caught Callista's attention and made her stop in the middle of the room. She looked at the ground with wide eyes and started to feel her breath quicken and grow heavy. Her eyes raked over the surface of the cage's floor in thought.

"What? So quiet now?" Grinford chuckled, "We hit a nerve? You did seem close to the mutant."

Callista couldn't move. They knew about Raphael… they _knew_ about _her_ and Raphael.

Delaney saw the surprised look on all of her friend's faces and turned to the two scientists, "What do you know about them?"

"Them?" Grinford looked down at Kanin, "You hear that?"

"There's more than one, is there?" she chuckled.

Delaney shut her eyes and cursed herself, 'Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

"And here I thought you were going to be a challenge, detective," Kanin smiled and set the canister in a case off to the side of the table, "If you all will excuse me and Grinford, we have some experiments to run on a few more specimens. Then we can continue this discussion later. Believe me when I say that you have peeked my interest."

Kanin tilted her head to one of the smaller cages where what looked like a small Border collie puppy was locked away. Grinford unlocked the cage and pulled out the cream-colored puppy and put it under his arm as if it was another in animate object.

"Goodbye girls," Grinford winked at the four of them and led Kanin into the other room with the puppy under his arm.

"You won't get away with this!" Delaney shouted after her, "My partner will figure it out! It's only a matter of time!"

Delaney watched them leave and turned her back to the bars once they were out of sight. She threw her head back into the bars and slid down to the floor with her eyes tightly closed.

'How could I be so idiotic? I put them all at risk…' she put her face in her hands and tried to think of a way out of this. A few moments later she looked up to find Eros and Amity sitting on a small crate looking straight at the ground. Callista on the other hand was still frozen in her spot. Surprised that someone actually knew. Someone saw him.

"I wasn't careful enough," she said in a deadpan voice.

"What?" Delaney asked from the floor.

"I didn't think to park my car away from a light. I can protect myself, I don't need a freaking light to protect me…" she took a few steps and leaned her forearm and forehead against the wall, "I didn't even think to conceal him in the dark. Maybe then… they wouldn't have seen…"

"It wasn't your fault," Amity looked at Callista, "It wasn't anyone's fault. And Delaney, I don't want you to think about what you said. You just came out from under chloroform. You weren't thinking straight. And besides, it was only a matter of time before they found out about all of the guys."

"They were following them…" Eros said from beside Amity.

"What are you talking about?" Callista turned her head toward her.

"Donnie said that he felt like some one had followed him from the mobster meeting that the guys broke up the night that Delaney and Michelangelo took down Burgand."

"That's right," Callista snapped her fingers, "Raphael was saying something about that too that night. I just thought he was being paranoid again."

"I just wonder how they followed them without getting spotted," Amity thought over the options for a moment.

"Well, at least we know how they saw you and Raphael," Delaney said.

Callista turned around and leaned her back against the wall, "Well, now what? We wait here until they take us behind the mysterious cloth to get screwed around with?"

"Maybe not," Delaney reached in the pocket of the coat she was wearing in search of something.

"Don't even look, D. They took all our cell phones and communications out of our clothes and pockets," Eros said pouting.

"I'm not looking in my _pockets_," she smiled as she felt something on her fingertip. She quickly took off her jacket and started to tear at a loose seam.

"Delaney! I gave you that jacket!" Eros used a hushed tone at her.

"It was all ready torn, Eros," Delaney rolled her eyes as she fought with the thin stuffing in the coat. Her eyes lit up as she finally grabbed what she was looking for and pulled it out. The other girls gasped as their eyes feel upon a shell cell.

"Tricky, tricky," Amity shook her head.

"Yeah, but it worked. You would think that scientist would scan our clothing or something like that," Delaney opened it up and pushed a few on the buttons. Soon her smile faded and she looked at Amity, "We got a technical problem."

"What now?" Callista grumbled.

"Apparently the signal can't get through these walls."

"Then put it through the bars, damn it. We got to warn them and get the hell out of here."

"It's not that easy," Amity shook her head and took the communicator from Delaney.

"Why the hell not, may I ask?"

"This hole facility was made to block all signals going out… I'm guessing just for this occasion," she looked up at Delaney, "They had this planned from the beginning."

"Do you think you can do something about it, brain?" Delaney looked at her hopefully.

"I can try to recalibrate the outgoing signal, but I'm not promising immediate results," she sat down and tried to pry open a portion of the cell.

"Well, try your best," Eros looked at the room outside the bars, "Because I'm not looking forward to that talk with Kanin and Grinford."

"I don't think any of us are," Delaney turned her head around toward the cages at the other side of the room and stared at the empty cage that once held the puppy, "And we got to get a hold of the guys before it's too late."


	10. Chp 9: Where are you?

**A/N:** Oh My God, an update! From ME? Wow, that is a miracle in itself. Sorry to keep you guys waiting, but college and work at the same time is no fun. Anyway, here's the next chapter and it's only going to get more interesting, so stick around. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner. Try is the key word there. Later dudes and dudettes.

**Chapter Nine:** Where Are You?

Leonardo sat at the kitchen table sipping at a cup of his favorite tea and watching the phone that he took from the counter and set it on the table in front of him. He was concentrating so hard; it felt as if he could peel off the paint of the phone with just the power of his mind. He had called Amity earlier that morning, but she still hadn't called back. He didn't want her to worry too much, so he didn't tell her what it was about, but he still thought she would have called back by now. And after putting Splinter down to rest, he would really like to hear her voice, even if it was on the other end of the phone line. And in a big way he wished that all the girls were there. They deserved to be there to say goodbye.

All four of them, prepared a suitable coffin-type structure and found a place in Central park that was hidden from mankind. When they were eight years old or so, they stumbled upon this clearing right by a well-hidden sewer exit. They began to go to the clearing often to get fresh air and to feel the sun when they had times away from their studies. Splinter would only come up to the surface with them in this one spot or to April's when they were older. It was a small clearing surrounded by dense trees and shrubs.

Splinter was put near the largest tree in the clearing with a carving on the tree to mark the now scared spot of the fallen master. Each turtle put their own few words on the tree's surface, hoping to catch a specific phrase that would catch at least a part of their late father's presence. They stood out in the night air for at least an hour after they had finished. Sitting with their legs folded and hands at their sides, they meditated with their master one last time before heading back home to the liar.

Leonardo rubbed his eyes once again and took another sip from his cup. He has been up all night worrying and thinking. He had tried to get some rest after calling Amity, but then woke up having a deep feeling inside his gut that something wasn't right. He retired to the kitchen and decided to baby-sit the phone while waiting for his return call from Amity. He looked to the clock on the wall and found it to be close to nine in the morning.

'She would be getting ready for work about now. She would be calling back at any time,' Leonardo thought to himself and yawned. After a few minutes, he decided to take the initiative and try again.

One ring…two rings…three… four…

"She wouldn't actually, physically go to work this early. Where is she?" Leonardo looked at the clock again and then hung the phone up. The unsettling feeling began to sink back into the pit of his stomach and he gulped down the rest of his tea, "I can't take this much longer."

"Can't take what?" Raphael walked down the stairs from his room, "You talkin' about Mikey's snoring? 'Cause I agree, I can't take that much longer either."

"No, it's not that," Leonardo looked back at the phone, "Amity isn't answering any of my calls."

"So? Maybe she had an early morning and rushed out before checking her messages."

"No, then she would have called from her cell," Leonardo began to pace by the table, "I'm worried, Raph. Have you been able to reach Callista?"

"No, but she's a busy girl…" Raphael thought and tried not to jump to extremes as his brother was beginning to.

"At nine in the morning?"

"You got a point there, Leo. But it could still happen," he shrugged and began to rummage for coffee.

"Hey guys, do you know if the shell cells are working okay?" Donatello came from his room with a shell cell in hand.

"As far as I know," Raph flipped his out after setting the coffee can on the counter and looked at the screen, "It looks fine, Don. Why'd you ask?"

"It's not picking up Eros, Amity's, Callista's or Delaney's signals," Donatello sighed and sunk into a chair by Leo, "I tried calling Eros first, but when I couldn't reach her I tried the other girls. None of them are answering. I get a faint signal that goes on and off from Delaney's, but other than that… nothing."

Mikey came bounding down the stairs humming a song to one of his cartoons and looked at his brothers, "What's the haps, dudes?"

"Have you heard from Delaney lately, Mikey?" Donatello asked from the table.

"Not since the note Klunk delivered last night," Mikey shook his head and tried to preoccupy himself by making some cereal, "Why?"

"We can't get a hold of any of the girls," Leonardo added.

"Maybe their cells are on the frits?" Mikey suggested.

"And their home phones too?" Raphael asked, "How come you aren't so worried about it, Mikey?"

"Because I _know_ that Delaney was working on a case last night with Carson," Mikey nodded, "At least that's what I got from Klunk's letter."

"Have you checked?"

"Why should I, I trust her with Carson," Mikey said, "Believe me, he may get desperate, but Delaney will put him in his place anytime, anywhere with a good smack to the back of the head."

"I meant if she made it over there okay," Raphael rolled his eyes.

"No, I was kind of distracted here, if you didn't notice," Mikey said sarcastically.

"What about the rest of the girls?" Donatello interjected and looked at Mikey.

"Girl sleep over?" he shrugged his shoulders, "Look dudes, all I _know_ is that _Delaney_ is safe at the department, tearing up a case. Okay?"

Suddenly Michelangelo's shell cell went off and he answered it, hearing a man's voice on the other line instead of Delaney who he was expecting.

"Hello?"

"Uh… hi," Michelangelo looked at his brothers funny and then at his cell, turning up the volume so that all his brothers could hear the other voice.

"This is Michelangelo, right?" the man sounded unsure, "Please tell me I got the number right."

"It depends on who's calling, dude."

"It must be, Delaney always uses the 'dude' reference and always said it was because of your influence," he chuckled a bit, "Hey Mike, long time no talk. It's me, Carson."

"Carson!" Mikey smiled and sat in the next empty chair next to Donatello, "What's going on? How's the night run treating you?"

"Night run?" Carson echoed back.

"Yeah, I got a note from Delaney saying that you guys were working on a case all of last night. I was wondering how it was going."

"Mike… Delaney and I didn't go over a case last night," Carson paused for a moment, "And she hasn't come in this morning either. That's why I'm calling you."

"What?" Michelangelo leaped from his chair, "But her note…"

"I haven't had contact with her since last night around nine or so. She said that there were some files that needed to go over for the Karten case, but she said we would go over them when she got here this morning. But she hasn't yet. I've tried all of her other numbers, and I was hoping that you would know where she was."

"Carson, you're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"Of course not. My partner's missing, I wouldn't kid about that."

"My God," Mikey looked at his brothers who all took glances at one another.

"What's happening over there, Mike?"

"My brother's and I… well, we haven't had any luck in contacting Delaney, Callista, Eros or Amity this morning… at all. I thought for sure they were having a girl get together and Delaney was with you."

"They're _all_ missing?" Carson asked from the other side of the phone call, "Just a second, Mike."

"Okay," Mikey nodded and heard Carson put the phone down and walk away. Michelangelo looked at his brother's with a scared face, "She wasn't there at all last night. I miss read the note. She's missing."

"They all are, and I don't like it," Leonardo looked at the lair phone, "We got to go find them."

"And how do you expect we do that?" Raphael asked.

"We go out and search for any clues that we can," Leonardo turned toward his room to get his katanas ready. Donatello retreated to his lab to get his bag of tricks to go out looking with Leonardo. Raphael turned from the other two and headed straight for the garage.

"Where you going, Raph?" Mikey asked.

"I'm going to look my own way," he grabbed his huge leather jacket and walked out the door and found his bike. Michelangelo heard him turn the engine on and speed off before Carson got back on the phone.

"You still there, Mike?" Carson breathed into the phone.

"Yeah, I'm here," he added quietly.

"Can I meet you someplace? Get together and go over some things. I think I may know something about Delaney's whereabouts… but I'm not absolute sure. No one knows her better than you do. You may give me a little more input to my thoughts."

Michelangelo froze in his spot. Carson wanted to meet him. _In person_. Face-to-face. Leonardo and the others wouldn't have it. But they weren't here, and Carson was probably the only person who had anything close to an idea of where Delaney may be and who may have her. He wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by just cause he may be seen by another human. Carson knew his voice at least and if he did end up seeing him, there wasn't any fear that he'd report him. He was a friend.

"Michelangelo?" Carson called from the other end.

"Where and at what time?" Mikey asked into the phone as he went to grab his overcoat and hat from his room.

* * *

It had been a good three hours since Delaney had woke up in this nightmare. Entombed in the stupid, scientific facility where everyone is looking in at you. She was the one being observed now, and she hated it. She was the detective. Not a bloody science experiment. At least not yet. From the feeling she got from Kanin and Grinford, her friends and her time may come sooner then they think. 

Every once in a while they would see another personnel walk through the lab, or work with the equipment, but nothing too out of the ordinary. It looked as if most of the assistants and research team had left for the day. Even Grinford and Kanin left for the day out the front door about an hour ago. Or at least in the direction everyone thought was the front door. After they took the puppy back into the back room, Kanin came out gave the girls a wink and then left through the double doors, leaving her lab coat behind on a stool. Grinford followed not that far after, with fur all over his lab coat. He grinned at the cage all of them were in and left after Kanin.

For the last hour the girls have been sitting in the dimly lit cage in the same room with the whimpering animals. They had to make sure that the research people were all gone before Amity could continue her work on the shell cell. They brought it out after Kanin and Grinford left, but kept hiding it when other personnel kept coming in and out of the other rooms. Soon enough, they believed they were alone and Amity began her work. Eros and Delaney still kept a look out for a good thirty minutes after the last person left while Amity worked hard at the cell.

The small window at the top corner of the room barely lit the small workspace that Amity gave herself to work on the shell cell. Delaney stood by her trying to help anyway she could and put her input in when needed. Callista sat against some crates and kept bouncing a small super ball against the wall, catching it every once in a while with one hand and then would switch off to the other hand. Eros seemed a little restless and kept pacing from Amity and Delaney to Callista. She finally settled near one side of the cage to look out at the animals in the cages on the far wall.

"Crap!" Amity jumped back from her work on the shell cell and little as a spark flew up at her and threatened to light her hair on fire, "That was a close one."

"At least you have ninja reflexes," Callista said as she got up and began to throw the ball harder against the wall and had to actually move to catch it.

"Where did you get that ball anyway?" Delaney looked from Amity's work over at Callista who caught the ball again.

"I snuck it in," Callista rolled her eyes, "In the inside of my bra stuffing."

(**A/N:** Just a quick note. Callista is joking with Delaney, since Delaney brought the shell cell into the facility in the stuffing of her jacket.)

"Ha ha… Callista," Delaney shook her head and shook her fist at her friend in a playful manner.

"I wonder what they do to those poor animals," Eros thought out loud to herself, "Behind that curtain I mean."

"I would worry more about us, bull's eye," Callista caught the ball and turned toward the cages of animals, "And I doubt you'll be wondering for long."

"Why do you say that?" she asked worried.

"I didn't like that look Kanin and Grinford gave us when they left."

"They have more planned for us, no doubt," Delaney stood up and walked up next to her two other friends, "I bet what ever is happening over there, will happen to us more than likely."

"Okay. I think I got something," Amity said and handed the semi- deformed shell cell to Delaney, "I think it might work. Give it a go."

Delaney punched in Michelangelo's number and held her breath, "Come on… come on, baby… Please work…"

* * *

Michelangelo turned a corner towards a coffee shop that Cason said he'd meet him at. There weren't that many people walking around this time of the day around the certain portion of the city. It was a good time to pick; especially when most of the people have gone to work and have all ready grabbed their cup of coffee. He looked around the corner to see Carson standing outside the shop looking at his watch and looking up and down the street. 

Michelangelo smiled, 'Must think that I'm coming in a cab or something.'

All of the sudden his shell cell began to vibrate and he opened it up just in time to hear the other end getting cut off as if someone hung up on him. He looked at the screen waiting for the name of the caller to be shown, but no such luck. The screen just flashed 'caller ID unavailable' back at him. It wasn't long enough of a call to pick the source up.

"Well, fine then. Stupid wrong numbers," he put the shell cell back on his belt and began to make his way to the shop making sure not to attract any bad attention.

* * *

Delaney turned her face away as the shell cell let off another small spark and then went dead. She sighed and looked in her friend's direction. She shook her head in response and put the cell back in Amity's hands. 

"Yeah, that looked like it worked well," Callista said with her usual sarcastic tone.

"I don't know what route to take," Amity thought as she sat down, "There are dozens of different relays that they could transmit through."

"Just try your best, Amity," Delaney said, patting her friend on the shoulder and then looked out the small window in the corner of the room, "Meanwhile, we got to think of a way to at least have a plan B if the shell cell doesn't come through."

"And what exactly did you have in mind for plan B, dear leader?" Callista asked a little intrigued.

"I have no clue yet," Delaney sat down on one of the crates, "That's why I said we have to come up with one. If we put our minds together on this, we may just get something good."

"Great," Callista looked at the curtain, "What if we _make_ them take us behind the curtain?"

"We want to get _out_ of here, remember?" Eros pointed out, "And the door to the outside world and freedom, as far as we know, is the opposite way of where you're planning."

"I know," Callista nodded, "But, if we can get out of this God forsaken cell, we could kick the shit out of them and run the other way. We all got our specialties, and can and should use them."

"We can't use brute strength against these guys, Callista," Delaney shook her head, "They'll be expecting that. Especially from you."

"Then what?" she threw her hands in the air, "I'm all out of ideas. You know how I think that way."

"I don't know what to do yet," Delaney sat on one of the crates at the side of the cell and looked out the window.

"Well, this isn't a good predicament we've gotten into," Eros smiled despite the situation, "Amity's brain power is stuck on fixing the shell cell, Callista wants us to commit suicide and go behind the curtain of uncertainty and Delaney's brain is still fried from the chloroform. Hell knows I'm not going to come up with a plan here, guys."

"Then we just wait," Delaney looked over at her, "We need to be patient until we can figure out something."

Delaney drew her feet up into a lotus position and began to meditate. Maybe through meditation she could reach Splinter. He always was able to calm her and communicate with her. Even in the most tough of spots. Although, when she tried to reach him, she received nothing back. No warm energy that she usually felt from him. No comfort… just black nothingness.

She opened her eyes and looked out the window again, 'Mikey… please be okay. Don't let them see you.'


	11. Chp 10: The Tour

**Chapter 10:** The Tour

Michelangelo took the long way round before he came up to stand beside Carson facing the ever increasing traffic. It wasn't that he didn't trust Carson. He trusted Carson with more than his life. He trusted him with Delaney's when he couldn't be there. It's just that he didn't trust the people around him. He finally settled into his position beside Carson and began to rock back and forth on his heels, not quite sure on how to approach conversation. Carson noticed him, but kept his eyes peeled for the taxi carrying Mike. He looked at his watch and noticed the guy even more and began to get nervous.

"Uh..." he turned to the man in the trench coat, "I don't have any change on me. Sorry, sir."

He chuckled underneath the wide brim of his hat, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, dude, but I'm looking to find my girl, not change."

"Mike?" Carson turned his complete attention to the side where the stranger was standing, "I didn't think that it was you. What's with the whole Casablanca get up?"

"I have my reasons," Michelangelo smiled underneath the shadow of his hat.

"So... you want some coffee before we start our search?"

"I'm not much of a coffee guy," Michelangelo shrugged and lowered his head further as an elderly woman looked at the two men as she passed, "I'd much rather go straight into finding Delaney."

"You and me both," Carson sighed, "So where should we begin, do you suppose?"

"You were saying over the phone something about evidence that Delaney had?"

"Yeah, that's right," Carson snapped his fingers and nodded, "Something nice and juicy about our main suspects I hope."

"Who are?" Michelangelo finally tilted his head up a little further as the woman finally passed her snooping glance to a young couple down the street.

Carson looked to his sides and surroundings like he was trying to be a secret agent, "Maybe we should talk somewhere else."

'Sometimes I think Carson's worse than I am,' Mike mused and nodded, sensing something a little off in the air to begin with. Besides the fact that he hated being out in the open during daylight hours. It was never a good combination for a mutated ninja turtle that was trying to hide his identity, "Maybe you're right. Let's get to Delaney's place. If she had a good piece of evidence, she would have it tucked away up there."

"What about your place?" Carson asked and noticed Michelangelo was all ready half way down the block before he could hail a cab. Carson jogged to catch up to him, surprised that the guy could move so fast without him even noticing that he moved.

"Not a good idea," Michelangelo shook his head, "Besides, Delaney kept all her notes and case files at her place. She brings them down every once in a while, but always keeps them at her place."

"Down huh?" Carson turned to him, "You live down town Mike?"

"Something like that," he chuckled at the thoughts that were running through Carson's head and how they were no where close to the truth.

"You're a mysterious person, Mike," Carson shook his head, "No wonder Delaney doesn't talk about you too much. She probably knows not all that much more about you than I do."

"Ha! Don't let that fool you, dude. She probably knows me in and out by now. More things than even all three of my brothers know about me put together."

"That's right, you have three brothers and your dad, right?"

Michelangelo stopped in his tracks for a moment, but quickly began to walk once again, "Y...yeah. You see, you know more than you think."

"Did I hit a nerve with you, Mike?" Carson asked as they neared the apartment building. For a moment he thought that he had brought up some really bad memories with his dad or something, "Did you and dad not have a good relationship? I didn't mean to-"

"No, no," Michelangelo shook his head, "It's cool dude. My dad and I get along fine... Well, we did... My dad died last night and I haven't had much sleep."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. Delaney didn't tell me last night when we were talking about the case."

"That's because she doesn't know," Michelangelo shook his head again, "It happened pretty late last night. I called her... but she didn't answer. Then I got a note and I was so relieved. But I misread the damn thing and now she's missing."

"It's not your fault, Mike."

"But I'm still paying for it," he whispered and led Carson to Delaney's floor and into her apartment with his own key. They both walked into a pretty clean apartment and an even neater desk.

"I never knew my partner could be so clean," Carson mused as he saw the neatly, alphabetized books on the shelves about rapists and criminology, "She never keeps her desk at work this clean, although I wish she would."

"She usually spends her nights here, but when she's not at work, she's usually with me down at my place," Mike mused and looked at a picture on the edge of a dining room table. It was of her sitting on the couch with Klunk curled in her lap and her nose deep in a book. He snuck up with a camera on her, one of the few times he was able to. It was close to testing time for the academy at the time and she was so determined to get passed the test that she had blocked nearly everything else out.

"Hey Mike?" Carson called from the bookcase in the living room, "Where should we start?"

"Start in her desk, I'll check the living room."

Carson quickly went into the desk and began to look through the papers stacked there. He was surprised that they were all alphabetized as well. Michelangelo looked around the living room and noticed the far window was open and had dirty paw prints on the window seal. More than likely from Klunk when he came to visit. He rubbed one of his fingers on the seal and rubbed them together.

'Klunk,' he thought to himself and looked to the floor where he could not find any other paw prints, 'I doubt Delaney had time to clean before leaving. Her not was pretty smeared to begin with.'

"Hey Carson," Michelangelo turned to his fiancee's partner, "Come and look at this."

Carson came over, letting out a frustrating sigh, "I can't find any files on or in her desk. It's squeaky clean, and that's just plain freaking me out."

"What about this?" Michelangelo nodded to the window and then at the floor.

"It's been cleaned," Carson commented and looked to the floor. He soon bend down and rubbed over the carpet.

"Delaney isn't that clean, believe me. She may like to get things organized, but she isn't a neat freak," Michelangelo looked over the spotless apartment, "Someone else was here. They were trying to find something and cleaned up afterward."

"But you just said she spends most of her time down at your place, so it would be clean no matter what."

"But she was hear for the past couple of nights. She isn't that neat when she is actually living in the space around her."

"I doubt that the files and evidence is still here then. If they were this careful..." Carson dropped off dishearten.

"Don't just give up your hopes yet, Carson," Michelangelo went toward the hall leading to the back bedroom, "There is at least one more place that she would things from the rest of the world."

He walked into the bedroom with Carson hot at his heels. He bent by the bed, pushed back the overhanging covers onto the top of the bed and fumbled with something under the bed. Carson watched from above his huge shoulders and saw the man bring out a safe big enough for files, important paper work or pictures.

"What the Hell?" Carson marveled at his partner's ingenuity.

"Now, there are only two people in this whole world that knows the combo," he began to turn the lock from side to side, "Delaney apparently and..." Click "...me."

Suddenly there was another click as he bent the handle down and the safe opened. Michelangelo pulled out a few of the files that were on the top layer of papers and laid them on the bed. Carson just stood shocked at his partner's boyfriend. For two huge reasons.

"The combo is interesting... Why that combo?" he stuttered a bit and Michelangelo noticed.

"Because, the numbers mean something to the both of us," Michelangelo closed the door of the safe before Carson could catch some of the photos of him and Delaney laying at the side of the top layer, "It was the day we met."

"Were you green then too?" Carson asked stepping back briefly from the guy leaning over the bed and his partner's files.

Michelangelo was surprised by the question. Carson saw him opening the safe. He saw his hand turning the combination of the lock. His green hand. There was no use in hiding now. The cat was out of the bag and screeching its head off.

"I've been green my whole life," Michelangelo stood up and turned to him. He took a deep breath and reached for h is hat, "Delaney has trusted you for years. I trust you just as much. Just... please don't scream or yell. And don't give up on her, just because of me."

He took off the hat and revealed his green head and his orange bandana wrapped over his eyes. He first looked at Carson's feet and then took off his jacket to show his plastron and shell. He tossed the articles to the ground and stood in front of Carson, with no secrets to hide.

"Well?" Michelangelo shrugged, "You gonna to run... faint... scream? Most people do the latter."

"No," Carson shook his head, swallowed and took a step foward.

"Why not?"

"Because... I've known you for a few years and never even thought to fear you. You're a person, Mike. Different? Yeah... but still a person. Delaney saw it and is in love with you for the person you are. Be it for me to say or think different."

"Thanks Carson," Michelangelo held out his hand to him and smiled.

"No problemo, dude," Carson shook his hand, "Besides, I thought you looked familiar. She was always sketching turtles on her books. Something that looked like urban legends."

Michelangelo chuckled, "She still does that, huh?"

"Like no tomorrow," he smiled and stopped to think for a minute, "One question, though. Are you guys reptiles or amphibians?"

"Reptiles."

"I knew it! She owes me ten bucks!" Carson punched the air and Mike rubbed the back of his head.

'This is definitely not how I thought our first meeting would go...'

"So, Carson, what are we looking for in here?" Mike quickly turned his attention to the files.

"Not what... who," Carson slipped some of the files to the side, recognizing them as ones that he's all ready been through. He finally picked up one labeled with one name, "Dr. Kanin."

"Main suspect?" Michelangelo asked looking at the file over Carson's shoulder.

"Yeah, and no that friendly either," Carson added with a nod, "And she just got more interesting."

"Well, that's nice, but where is Delaney?"

"My guess... the lab."

"Lab?"

"Kanin worked with Sandra Karten. Or against her."

"Against her?"

"Delaney said something about competition between the two of them," Carson flipped though the file and came upon some newspaper clipping, "And Bingo was its name-o."

"Mondo competition," Michelangelo nodded and began to get his coat back on.

"Where are you heading?" Carson gathered up the files.

"You're coming with me, Carson. Don't worry."

"Where?"

"To see my brothers. We need some good plans to get together. Besides, this isn't just another case. This is personal to them and me. They have all four girls."

"You know, it's personal for me too," Carson stated and tucked the files under his arm.

"I know."

"So where exactly are we heading?" Carson asked following Michelangelo out the door.

"Like you said... _down_ to my place," Michelangelo smiled and locked the door behind them.

* * *

Callista woke up with a pounding that she originally though was the inside of her head. She opened her eyes to find some one pounding on the bars of the cell they were in. She rubbed her head and began to push at her friends closest to her to get up. She finally got Delaney's attention and got the others up as well. If these idiots wanted to try something, she wanted to make sure it was four against them instead of just her.

"Rise and shine, ladies," Grinford slowly opened the bars to look in on them.

Delaney looked at the man standing between her and freedom and held tightly to her shell cell that was back in her jacket. Delaney helped Eros up top her feet while Callista got Amity up and conscious of the situation surrounding them. Both girls watched the man at the door watching for anything that they may possibly use against him if the time comes that they may need to.

"Come on ladies," Grinford tapped his foot impatiently, "I don't have all night to wait on you four."

"Yeah, I bet you got more lives to destroy, huh?" Delaney shot at him.

"Ooo... that hurt,"he gripped his chest, "Let's move it, _detective_."

The girls went out the door, watching Grinford as they did. He herded them towards the cloth covered doorway. Eros looked at Delaney and Callista as they neared the doorway. She was looking for an answer, or at least some sort of comfort. Delaney saw Callista get a glint in her eye which always meant that she was thinking about fighting her way out of here. But she shook her head and Callista grimaced at the decision. And she really wanted to kick this guy's ass. Delaney finally caught Eros's concern glances and quickly squeezed her hand. Eros gave a small smile as they entered the cloth doorway.

"Welcome to the real lab," Grinford said in an artificial announcer's voice.

"So this is where the magic begin's huh?" Callista grumbled to herself.

Delaney soaked in everything she could while being prodded in the back by Grinford to keep moving. She saw other scientists grouped together, creating what looked like more ooze. Amity stopped at one point and saw a poster at the side of the room. She quickly read it through as fast as she could and digest the information into her brain. Grinford pushed her from behind and almost made her fall head over heels to the floor.

"Keep moving."

"Back off," Callista helped Amity to find stability once again and tried to get away from Grinford as far as she could. She was so close to blowing up and trying to take him on. No matter what Delaney may have said to it. It was a gut feeling and she needed the satisfaction of it. There were possibly hundred of scientists around them and probably even more chemicals. She would rather have control over her legs and arms than to be completely helpless.

Grinford pushed them though another set of doors and they found themselves in a room full of huge cages and inside them... there were what looked like mutants.

"Oh my God," Delaney breathed as she saw some of the mutants. There were foxes, cats, dogs, even what looked like ducks. All of them had human characteristics and were standing on their back feet. One of the cages rattles as what looked like a cheetah mutant came to the bars and tried to lash out at Grinford. He just stepped out of the way a chuckled.

"Nice try, but no dice," he grinned to himself and kept walking the girl's foward.

Delaney looked at the cheetah mutant and noticed the torn top that she had covered her top half in, but still showed the mid-drift. Her bottom half was covered in a wrap around deep brown shawl that acted as a skirt. Delaney saw the slight female characteristics of breasts and the curving of the hips and suddenly noticed that all the mammal mutants were female.

Once Delaney reached the eyes of the cheetah girl she saw compassion and worry. The cheetah knew more about what was to happen to them next, when they didn't even have a clue.

"Oh good, you brought them," Kanin stepped around the corner of one of the cages. The cheetah girl stepped back toward the end of the cage, out of view from Kanin and Delaney.

"What happened to these animals?" Eros asked before she could stop herself.

"Not all of them were- are animals. Some of them were humans," Kanin smiled and nodded to Grinford who quickly pushed them all into another cage. Kanin chuckled and stepped up to them, "You know, mutants and hybrids do help to get some continuity."

"What's the difference?" Delaney spat as she pushed herself off the ground.

"Mutants were originally animals, while hybrids were originally... human."

"You're a monster."

"Well, I do have a plan to bring your lovely friends to come see you," she smiled, "But with your attitudes I don't think that I want you to see them."

"What?"

"One of our hybrids is on the turtles tails. She should be coming back tonight with their location..."

"You bitch!" Callista rushed at the bars, "Leave them out of this!"

"Too late for that," she smiled and turned her back on them. Grinford followed her out, "I hope you like your new surroundings."

Eros squinted when she heard the doors shut, "Now what are we going to do?"

"Well, tell you the truth... it can't be good," Delaney sighed, "They wouldn't have let us see all that if they intended to let us all go. They are planning to either kill us or... make us hybrids."

Eros gasped and looked at the floor. Delaney looked at the other cages and caught sight of the cheetah girl who was only in the next cage over to the right. She looked at Delaney with such intensity.

"Maybe it won't come to that," Amity announced and grabbed for the shell cell, "That chart explained quite a bit. They shouldn't have it out in the open like that."

"You know how to do it?" Callista asked hopefully.

"I think I do," she nodded and got to work, gently taking the shell cell into her hands again, "Hold your hats, ladies. We'll get out of here in no time."

**A/N:** Let me tell you, three fictions at the same time is no fun... wait, I take that back. It's fun, just confusing (and to my friends absolutly hilarious to watch). Please review I know it's been a while Sorry.


	12. Chp 11: Phone Call

**A/N:** I know, long time no update, but I have come back, hopefully to update sooner. With three other fanfictions to write, and school and part time work... man, I think I over loaded myself again. But summer is coming, and I will update better. I hope to hear from you all in reviews and I apologise again. Here's the next chapter and don't worry, the next one's on it's way.

**Chapter Eleven:** Phone call

Raphael pushed his bike's engine to the limit as he rode hard though the streets. The traffic wasn't as bad as what it could be considering the early afternoon hours. He had been out on the streets for hours. Ever since Carson called Mikey looking for Delaney, he hopped on his bike and started to search. Callista's apartment, her favorite coffee spot, her favorite thinking spot... nothing each and every time. She wasn't at work either. They haven't seen her in the office all day. Cecilia was growing concerned about her boss. Callista had been known to take a few sick days to recover from some hangovers or even when she was just plain too lazy to get out of bed, but she has never just 'not shown up'.

His bike skidded to the side of the street as a silver mustang cut him off and nearly ran him off the road. He would have run him off to the other side of the road in return if he weren't on such an important mission.

"Damn it, Cal," he whispered to himself, hearing his voice in his head over the sound of his engine, "Just don't screw up. Don't fight until I get there. I gotta be there to protect ya."

He nearly smiled at the thought of what her face would have been if she heard him say that about her. Probably grow red with a bit or rage, besides the fact that her hand would probably be ready to slap him a good one. A yet, even that thought made him miss her even more. He couldn't help but worry about her. It was true that she could handle any situation by herself for the most part, but because he loved her, he just had that part of him that had the overriding feeling to protect her.

A vibration was felt on the side of his riding pants and he looked over his shoulder to find that his shell cell was going off. He could see the orange glint of color from the phone and knew immediately it was Mikey. He quickly scanned the area and pulled a sharp right turn into an alleyway. After a few dozen horns and a few more indecent gestures from other drivers, he checked his surroundings in the alley and took off his helmet to answer the cell.

"Any news?" he looked into the screen that held his brother's face.

"Hello to you too," Michelangelo answered and looked to the side as if he was going to address another person walking with him.

"This isn't a time to be playing around!" Raph yelled into the phone.

"You don't think I know that?" Mikey frowned at the small picture of his brother in his hand, "Look, I found something that we all need to go over, okay? Meet me down at the lair. We got a plan to form. We're going to get the girls back."

"Mikey, just tell me where she is..."

"No can do, bro," Mikey shook his head, "Just know that I got some new developments and that I got someone with me that might be able to help us."

"Mikey... you're not bringing another human down to the lair, are you?" Raph warned and stared at his brother.

"If they can help us, it shouldn't really matter, should it? Don't be so paranoid," Mikey frowned and closed his shell cell. He looked to his side and helped Carson out of yet another puddle of God knows what in the sewer tunnels, "I thought I told you to stay out of the black puddles, dude."

"I can't see much of any other color down here," he gladly accepted Mikey's help out of his predicament and followed him closely behind, looking at the ground every so often to jump over any puddles, "Are your brother's okay with me coming down? I mean, Raphael sounded pretty pissed off."

"Raph is always a little pissed off," Mikey explained, "I think the closest you could get him to giddy is if you give him a pile of purple dragons to beat up on, a large pizza and Callista all at the same time to do with as he pleases... and that doesn't happen all that often."

"Right..." Carson rubbed the back of his neck and his eyebrows knitted, starting to rethink his whole decision to 'come down' in the first place, "What about your other two brothers? Aren't you going to call them?"

"I did while you were asking the building manager if he saw anything suspicious last night," Mikey nodded and turned what felt like the hundredth corner to Carson and came upon a sewer pipe and a small turning handle.

"Now what?" Carson leaned on the wall, "I would say a break time, but I don't like the idea of breathing in anymore of this air... if that's what it's called."

"No, now I get to invite you in to sit down and have some tea," Mikey turned the handle on the pipe and out popped a small digital pad where he punched in a five digit code and popped the pad back into the wall.

"Wha..." Carson tilted his head to the side and watched as the sewer wall began to open slowly from one side to the other in a way that reminded him of an elevator door. He didn't notice at the time, but his mouth was open in amazement and Mikey came over to lift his jaw up to close it.

"Pretty awesome, huh? My brother, Donnie fixed it up," Mikey nodded and lead Carson through the door, "I have to admit that we don't use that entrance all that much. Too much trouble, but we were coming from the right side of town and I didn't want to take the long way around... By the way, you might want to duck."

"Wha-"

Before Carson could turn his head toward Michelangelo, the turtle pushed his upper half down as a long katana blade rushed over his head and stuck in the wall. Carson lifted himself back up and looked at the sword in the wall and then toward inner part of the sewer home where two other turtles stood.

"Not that good of a first impression, Leo," Mikey shook his head and took the katana blade out of the wall and laid it gently over one of his shoulders.

"Sorry," Leo said sincerely, "I'm a little worried, as you can understand."

"Definitely," Mikey nodded and led Carson over toward what looked like a couch and a few beat up chairs surrounding a small table in the center.

Carson looked behind him as the sewer wall began to close behind him and his last chance of freedom closed with it. Mikey handed Leo back his katana and he put it back on his shell. He looked at the turtle wearing the blue bandana and then at the one standing behind him, wearing the purple. Leo bowed a little to him and placed his hands together.

"I apologize again."

"No need..." Carson smiled unsure and held out his hand for a handshake, "I'm Jeremy Carson, Delaney's partner."

"I'm Leonardo," he shook his hand.

"Donatello, nice to finally meet you," Donnie took his hand after Leo and looked to the upper portion of the lair, where the bedrooms were, looking for something, "And Raph should be here, somewhere."

"I thought he was ou-" Carson began when Mikey yet again pushed his upper half over as a sai flew over him and landed at the other end of the room. He straightened once again and looked at the sai, its handle wrapped in red material, "Warm welcomes all around, eh?"

"Sorry," Raph came from the garage, throwing his helmet to the side, "A little jumpy."

"Thanks a lot, Raph," Mikey stared at him, "Now that you and Leo both tried to kill him, I doubt that he'll ever some back down here."

"No problem, Mike," Carson dusted himself off and smiled a little, "I know hundreds of guys that have been wanting to kill me for years, but I still go back to their homes or lairs and 'visit' them. Or, you know, catch them."

"Can we just get with the info, now?" Raph asked annoyed and dropped himself into the lazy boy recliner.

Mikey and Carson took the couch and spread the files over the tabletop. Carson took a deep breath and watched as Leo and Donnie settled themselves opposite him and Mikey while Raph watched from the side, "Okay... this is who I- and more than likely Delaney- think is the mastermind behind all of this."

He opened a folder and pointed to a picture of Kanin, "As my partner so cleaverly laid out in her safe, she has been a competitor of Sandra Karten for the last seven years."

"But that would mean this has been happening since Miss Karten was nineteen years old," Donatello interjected, "Or for others who haven't read on her, when she first came to America from London."

"Glad to see someone's in the same boat as I am," Carson pulled out an article that had a picture of Sandra accepting an award from the university she applied to in New York and what looked like a younger and more disgruntled Professor Kanin in the background, "It seems as if Kanin was always the second pick when it came down to decisions between her and Sandra. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it on her own and had no other choice but to work with the person who always managed to outshine her."

"I would take that as an extreme blow to one's ego," Michelangelo add.

Leonardo nodded in agreement, "She had the motive, but what about opportunity?"

"Not much, if any," Carson shook his head, "But she does have an assistant who isn't always accounted for on questionable dates," Carson pulled out a file on Grinford and Donatello began to speed read while Carson continued, "Delaney and I were going to interrogate him today or tomorrow about the holes in his whereabouts until she went missing."

"So we know the dicks who took the girls," Raph got out of the chair and walked toward the kitchen, ignoring Leo's frown on his word choice, "Now, let's go and get them."

"The problem is that the lab has been searched, cleaned out and searched again. We can't find anything that may lead to another section or to another facility. I don't know where they are keeping the girls, or Sandra. The lab we searched was way too small to keep four girls captured and quiet," Carson looked over the top of the couch at Raph who now had a beer in his hand.

"Then we sneak in," Raph said as he opened his beverage and took a sip, "Take our own look around the place. Maybe it's bigger than you think."

"Although, I'm not crazy about the idea, I think Raph's right," Leo nodded, "I think it's time for us to do some detective work of our own. No offense, Carson."

"None taken," he held up a hand and nodded.

"The problem in that being is that we have to go in during the day, dudes," Michelangelo sighed, "It's a night laboratory. It is swarming with people during the night."

"That does pose a problem," Donatello sat back from reading the last page of the file, "We always did better at night."

"Uh, Leo," Raph said catching Leo's attention and cracked his neck to the side, "I think that may not be our only problem."

"Really?" Leo stood up and swiftly jumped to the side and into shadow where he put his katana against the neck of an intruder, "Who are you?"

"My name is Tracie... please, don't cut me," a female voice pleaded and Leo pulled her out into the light where the rest of the group could see her.

"She's a... mutant!" Donatello gasped and looked at the creature caught between Leo's blade and his other hand holding her wrists. She was humanistic just like they were, but instead of being a half turtle, she was a half fox, with bright red fur and dark colored tank top and loose fitting pants. She didn't struggle in Leo's grip, knowing that if she resisted, she more than likely would have been cut or worse, but being called a mutant! She wasn't an animal!

"I'm a human, God damn it!" she yelled and looked over at Raphael, "Please, I just followed you so she would make me human again... please don't make me stay this way...I a human! A human! I'm not an animal!"

Leo let her go and she fell to the floor in sobs. She curled up in a little ball on the floor of the lair and whimpered. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and tears slowly fell to the concrete floor. Her breathing began to level out and she didn't feel the need to cry as hard. She finally looked up to see Raphael leaning over her with a grimace, "Where's Cal and the others?"

"You must mean the new girls..." she whispered, "They were just taken down to the main lab. Where the rest of us are."

"We know that, but where is it?" he yelled and she shrunk away from him.

"Raph! Calm down," Leo pushed him away, "She's been through enough by the looks of it. I never knew of a human that was transformed to this extent. What do you make of it Donnie?"

"It's not like we haven't seen human mutation before," Donatello thought back to previous adventures, "But… this seems different."

"You have to follow me," she glanced between Leo and Donatello, "If you don't some to the lab, she won't turn me back. I won't be human anymore, never again... Please. I can't stay like this."

"We're going, but not because we are going to help you," Raph picked up his sai and put it in his belt, "I'm going to get Callista."

"You may be too late..."

"What do you mean?" his voice hitched in his throat at the fear that she may be dead. And if she was, the people responsible will need more than a miracle to stay alive.

"You don't need to know," she shook her head. She looked at the ground for a few more seconds, her hope for humanity lost once again. A shadow crossed in front of her and she looked up to see Michelangelo knelling in front of her.

"Please help us..." he took a deep breath, "I'm lost without her..."

She frowned and shook her head as if she was fighting with a voice within her own head, "Not until you come back to help me! I'm sick and tired of helping others! I just want to be myself again."

Mikey turned his head away from her and looked at Carson who was giving him a sympathetic look. Mikey suddenly jumped as he felt his belt begin to vibrate, "All right. Who's sitting on their shell cell? Donnie?"

"It's not me," he said from the table, looking over more information and then looking at the fox-human who hugged herself and looked at the wall opposite from Michelangelo.

"Then who?" he picked up his cell and looked to find Delaney's name scrolling across the screen. He began to breath faster and opened up his cell, "Delaney! Baby, are you all right?"

"Delaney?" Carson got out of his seat and ran toward Mikey like lightning. Sure enough down on the screen was a flashing picture of Delaney, with Eros and Amity on either side. Callista stood a little out of frame acting as a look out.

"Mikey!" she almost let out a sob of joy, "Oh God, thank goodness you're okay."

"Me? Hon, I thought you were a gon-"

"Don't even say it," she shook her head, "Look, I don't have much time, Amity is going to send you all the information that she can to the lair computer through the shell cell. Hopefully it will be enough. And you guys have got to look out. There's a hybrid heading your way."

"We've met," Raph said from off screen and he caught a glimpse of Callista in the background smirk as she kept a look out for Grinford or anyone else for that matter.

"You guys okay?" Eros asked.

"We're fine," Mikey shook his head, "You guys hang in there. We're coming to get you. I promise."

"I know you will," Delaney smiled and touched the screen with Mikey's face and caught a glimpse of Carson, "I guess you finally figured out why I never brought Mikey to the parties."

"Don't blame you, partner," he smiled with a hint of worry on his face, "It's Kanin isn't it?"

"And Grinford. Find a connection and nail the bastards, will ya?" Delaney asked.

"Sure thing," he nodded.

"Damn it! Delaney, he's coming back and he's got friends this time!" Callista shouted and the screen went black as Delaney shoved the unit into her jacket and pushed the mute button.

"Come on, girls... your turn," a voice came over the intercom from Delaney's side.

"No!" Eros yelled in fear.

"Let go of her you bastard!" Delaney yelled and the screen went to static.

"Delaney! Delaney!" Mikey cried into the communicator, "What the hell happened?"

"Eros..." Donatello held himself against the couch. Raph had crushed his can in his own grip and Leo could only stare at the ground.

Michelangelo dropped the communicator to the ground and it shut itself off from the shock of the hit. It slid across the floor and stopped right by Tracie's elbow. She looked at it and then looked at the four talking turtles who all looked distraught, but none more so than the one wearing the orange bandana. He dropped to his knees and began to hit his fists against the stone floor in frustration and pain. She looked at the communicator by her elbow again and touched the screen. With another frown and shake of her head she grabbed the communicator and walked over to Mikey.

"I'll take you..." she whispered down at him.

"What?" Michelangelo lifted his head and looked at her.

"I'll take you to the lab... and leave my humanity behind," she nodded, "It seems like I did that long before now anyway. I was trying to hold on to something that was never in me to begin with. Like I had tried to hold on to someone when they didn't care about me. Like when I helped them with nothing in return. No wonder I want help without anything in return as well. Damn it… why do I gotta be so sappy when it comes to things like this?"

"Like what?" Mikey asked.

"Like love. You all love them and they love you despite you being different. I've never known anyone like that. Although, not many people are like that toward prostitutes," she sighed again, "I'll take you."

"Why?" Carson asked.

"Because... love is more deserving than my own desires."


	13. Chp 12: To Our Fates

**Chapter 12:** To Our Fate

"Come on girls… your turn," Grinford grinned as he shoved the door open and was followed by at least three other scientists.

Delaney put the shell cell on mute and stuck it back in her jacket. They can't know about Mikey or of a way to track him. The last thing she needed was Michelangelo stuck in this place with her. Delaney followed Grinford closely with her eyes and tried not to say anything that may scare Mikey all too much since he could still hear her end of the shell communications.

"No!" Eros yelled as two of the extra scientists pushed her to one side of the huge cage.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Delaney charged at them only to get hit in the side by the third scientist who was remarkably fast.

She turned from the hit and fell into the wall causing the communicator to fall from her jacket and crash to the floor face down. Grinford looked at Delaney's slightly frightened face and shook his head when he realized what it was. He walked up to Delaney, stared her directly in the eyes and then slammed his foot to the ground, breaking the shell cell to small chunks of wires and what looked like microchips.

"Sorry… your call was disconnected," he laughed at his own joke and rubbed his foot in the mess a little to make it all the worse.

"You piece of shit!" Delaney gritted her teeth and held the side that was hit. Leaning back against the wall to regain footing she watched him back away for a moment. Without warning he turned quickly and slapped her violently across her face sending her back to the ground.

"Now don't go calling people names… it isn't nice."

"It doesn't matter now, you know," Eros spoke up after looking at Delaney lying back down on the floor, "They've all ready met your hybrid."

"Eros! Shut it!" Callista yelled from beside Amity.

"You've failed! It may even be killed and destroyed."

"Eros…" Delaney groaned and looked up from the floor, trying desperately to quiet her friend, "Stop…"

"So you weren't talking to your partner, huh?" Grinford smiled at Delaney and looked at Eros, "You were talking to the other mutants. Maybe that hunk of junk I just squashed can still hold some value after all."

"Oh no…" Eros shook her head in understanding. She was hoping to scare them into thinking their entire plan would go up in smoke, but instead she might have given them the upper hand in finding the lair.

"So they know about he hybrid, do they?" Kanin walked in the cage with a clipboard in hand and a small mechanical device on top. She turned to Grinford as she looked at the device and wrote a few notes down on the clipboard, "Tracie's staying in one place, her tracker isn't moving. Her vitals are stable, so she's not dead. She may be captured, or knocked out. We can send a few dozen mutants down to find her. She's only a few miles away from here according to the tracker."

'The lair is at least twelve miles away from here,' Delaney thought to herself, 'Thank God for Donatello and his mixing signal on the lair.'

"I'll tell you only once more, bitch! Leave them alone!" Callista began to step toward her when Grinford hit her from behind when she passed in front of him to get to Kanin.

"Cal!" Delaney tried to stand and watched as Amity tended to the fallen Callista. She gripped at the bars and stood up before Kanin, "You got me. When this first started you said if I came my friends wouldn't be hurt. I've kept my part of the bargain, keep yours."

"I lied," Kanin laughed, "You really think I'm going to let them go after all this? After all that they've seen? They know too much, detective… you should realize that. And besides, I need four more new subjects to retest a failed experiment."

"Failed?" Amity helped Callista sit up and looked over at Delaney.

"The subjects died. Can't really say why or how, the mutagin was just too much for them, I guess," Kanin said nonchalantly and turned to the extra scientists not holding Eros, "We need more subjects to figure it out. Stevenson?"

"Yes, professor?" he nodded to her.

"Take Miss Jenas and Miss Uskbick to the first exam room. I'll be there in a while. Please, make sure they are comfortable."

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded and pulled Callista off of the floor and away from Amity. He pulled her to her feet and began to prod her toward the door of the cage.

"Watch where you're pushing, fella'!" Callista yelled at the guy pushing at her back. Stevenson nodded to the two holding Eros and they followed him toward the exam room.

"Grinford?" Kanin smiled at Delaney who was still watching the hallway after her friends had disappeared from view.

"Yes professor?"

"Let's accompany Detective Chasin and Miss Grenson to the 'm' room. The next experiment is set up and ready for them," she watched Delaney's head snap toward her.

"Shall we?" Grinford took Amity's arm and began to usher Delaney out of the cage. Delaney took Amity away from Grinford's grasp and walked ahead of him. She made a small glance back at the cage and found the cheetah hybrid looking at her with sympathy once again.

'She knows what's going to happen to us,' Delaney looked forward and stayed next to Amity.

If they knew their way out of the laboratory and the lower floors of the facility, they could probably take both Kanin and Grinford out at the same time. Then they would make a made dash to find their two friends and then a break for the lair to warn the guys and Splinter. Unfortunately, all they could do is follow Kanin and be pushed by Grinford to the room where they could very well die. Delaney watched the hallway end with a large, chestnut doors and Grinford pushed them both in.

"Oh God," Amity whispered when she saw the set up.

Two metal, medical tables were on either side of a large machine all ready beginning to start up. The humming almost held an ominous sound to it, as if would soon turn to a loud roar and kill both her and Amity on the spot. Delaney noticed the bright green substance running through most of the tubing on the large machine and just shook her head. With that much mutagin, no wonder the other subjects didn't survive the tests.

"Now, let's get this experiment over with," Kanin grabbed some gloves and snapped them on her hands. Grinford pushed Delaney to the side as he grabbed Amity and tied her down to the first medical table. Delaney turned around and tried to fight him away from Amity, but was quickly tackled to the other table once the last latch was in place on Amity. She struggled as he latched her head down along with her arms and feet.

Kanin looked down at her from above her head, "Comfortable?"

"Fuck you, Kanin," Delaney growled, making Kanin frown and grab her clipboard from one of the tabletops. She made a few notes and looked at Delaney and Amity and then back at the clipboard making a few more notes on the pages.

"Pure mutagin on the ready?" Kanin called to Grinford, not lifting her eyes from the clipboard.

He walked over to the machine and checked the many dials and tubes and nodded toward her, "Mutagin ready, Professor."

"Last time we did this, the subjects died from the exposure to the substance. But you may just be the lucky few with an immunity," she turned to check a few more reading on the machine, "But it's unlikely."

"Delaney?" Amity stared at the ceiling, since the strap across her head didn't allow her to look at her friend.

"Yeah?" she strained to look toward her friend.

"You're a great detective and an outstanding friend," Amity smiled and laughed a little with tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry to sound so sappy and all right now, but I was really looking forward to prosecuting with you."

"Same here, Amity," Delaney nodded the best she could, "We would have been the absolute best team in New York for sure."

"I- I just wish I got to say goodbye to him…"

"Me too," Delaney agreed, knowing she was talking about Leo as she was thinking about Mikey. She tried her best to feel her ring on her right hand and closed her eyes, "Me too."

"Ready ladies?" Kanin put down her clipboard and pulled a lever to her side on the central consol on the machine. Delaney looked up just in time to see the ooze beginning to drip out of the clear tube right above her head.

* * *

Mikey came to the couch with a cup of hot soup and handed it to Tracie who was still trying to figure out all the pieces of the puzzle she found herself in. She could trust four giant walking turtles that just happen to know Ninjitsu who were giving her soup, or she could run back to the lab and trust a woman who turned her into a monster. Somehow, the first of the two options sounded the most appealing.

"Thank you," she nodded and sipped on the hot soup careful not to burn herself, "If I'm really going to help you guys, I can't stay long. The _professor_ may have put a tracker or something in me when she first mutated me."

"No problem," Donatello shook his head, "I put a design on the lair that if a tracking beckon did come into the lair, it was distorted and made it seem like it was actually miles away. A good, simple mixing signal; so don't worry about it."

"Yeah, all you got to worry about is telling us where the girls are," Raphael said from the side of the room, cleaning one of his sais.

"I told you, they're in the lab," she sighed and watched Michelangelo sit next to Carson and Leo, "There is the regular lab, but there's another hallway that has doors like an elevator-"

"I saw those in the photos of the original investigation," Carson said, "Those doors had caution tape all over them, like the elevator was out of order or something."

"That was a smoke screen," Tracie put down the cup, "A cover, if you will. There are rooms behind there. Cages of every size for every kind of animal. There are also millions of vials of this horrible looking green stuff."

"Ooze," Leo said and looked at Donatello.

"That's how they turned you from human to mutant," Donatello nodded in explanation.

"Hybrid," Tracie corrected in a disgusted tone, "She calls all who were humans 'hybrids' and all that were originally animals 'mutants'. We're all in pain and so confused. It shouldn't make a difference what we were, since we are almost all the same now."

"Agreed," Leo said, "Now we need a plan to get in there."

"Consider it done," Tracie nodded, "I'll give you all the building details I can. Then I'll go back, but I don't think it's a good idea for you all to follow me in directly. I doubt that she trusts me totally, I know I don't trust her."

"That's exactly why we aren't," Leo said, "From the look of the files and her background with Karten, I don't blame you at all. We'll go in after the building closes and you have told them that you tricked us into following you the next night."

"You're giving them more time and opportunity to kill the girls?" Raphael pushed from the wall he was leaning on and walked toward Leo.

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Raph," Leo raised his voice at his brother, "I want Amity back home too, but we can't rush in on them when they're there. They could kill them right at that moment and I don't want to stand by and watch Amity or any of the girls die. It's better to go in there when they aren't expecting it."

"But they could be…"

"I know," Leo nodded and looked at the ground, closing his eyes at the thought that they could all ready be too late, "I know."

"You guys are going in during the day?" Carson asked, "I thought that you guys worked better under the cover of night."

"There's no other real choice," Donatello looked at one of the manhole covers at the edge of the liar.

"If you guys need a distraction at the front, I'm your guy," he stood up, "Delaney always told me I was a perfect distraction for the baddies."

"Sounds good," Mikey nodded, "When do we set off, Leo?"

"Morning, first thing, so get some sleep," Leo said and looked at Raph, "All of us."

* * *

"Uhg…" Delaney groaned and tried to turn on her back, but something was keeping her from turning over.

"Detective Chasin?" an English sounding voice called to her from her right side.

"Wha…" she felt so drowsy, it was hard for her to even move her head properly, "Whe-ere's A-ami-t…"

"Amity!" the voice turned from her, "She's calling for you. She's awake."

"Who-" Delaney gradually opened her eyes and began to focus. Unfortunately, all she could really focus on was the person's eyes. She had seen those eyes before, "Professor Karten?"

"You _are_ the best detective in New York, aren't you?" she said tilting what looked like a blurry head to the side, "Very perceptive."

"I can't see very clearly," Delaney mumbled, gradually gaining back her ability to talk normally.

"It's a small side affect," Karten assured her, "It will wear off. Amity?"

"Okay, okay," a greenish blob came to her side while the blob that was Sandra went out of sight, "Remember, I'm still not used to the new balance issue."

That was Amity's voice, but Delaney didn't remember her wearing so much green before she fainted from the pain on the medical table, "Amity why are you wearing so much green? Is it some kind of new, twisted hospital gown? And a side affect to what? What was she talking about?"

"Not to disturb you, Delaney," Amity took a deep breath and put a hand on her shoulder, "But you're green too…"

"What are yo-"

Delaney paused to brush back some of her hair that fell in her line of blurred vision when- instead of a peach blur that she was expecting- she saw green. She spread out her fingers and saw only three long stumps instead of the five that she was expecting. She blinked wildly trying to clear her vision and her mind. Piece by piece she could see her hand in front of her, but it wasn't the one that she was used to seeing for the past twenty-six years.

"What the-?"

"Delaney, just calm down and breath," Amity said calmly, causing Delaney to look up at her.

"Amity?" Delaney whispered and touched the side of her friend's face with her new three fingered hand, "You're… you're …"

"A hybrid," she nodded, "I know."

Amity's hair and eyes were still the same color and style. Almost nothing had changed about them, but the rest of her body was a different story. Her nose and mouth were now combined into a beak, and her ears were totally gone, as were her eyebrows, which were now replaced with eye ridges. Her clothes had been replaced with a smaller shell than what the boys had., that actually looked more fitted to her body. A yellowish, tan plastron that still, surprisingly, held her womanly figure, with breastplates and all, covered her front. More than likely it was a mammal trait that was kept, much like her hair. Her hands had only three fingers like Delaney's and her feet only had two toes.

"Amity…"

"Delaney, you need to brace yourself," Amity put her other hand on the other shoulder, "Yo-"

"I'm one too, am I right?" Delaney sighed and pushed herself up to sit on the floor, surprised by the extra weight strapped to her back. After leaning to one side and the other, she looked at Amity's surprised face and shook her head in bemusement, "Being green and having a three fingered hand kind of tipped me off."

Delaney looked around the cage, slightly confused as to where Sandra Karten ran off to, but she was looking for something else at the moment. The cage was a bit darker, with a few places lit with light. Either the facility was locked down for the day or they just didn't want to waste electricity on the mutants and hybrids. Out of the few spaces of light she tried to find a nice smooth surface in the metal cages.

"What are you looking for?"

"My reflection," she replied and found the back of the next cage only a few feet from where she was sitting. Slowly, crawling over, still trying to get used to the weight on her back, she looked into the reflective surface of the cage. She found a smaller green face staring back with her own eyes and hair flopping over the left cheek. She turned to her side to find a slim, small shell on her back and a hard tan plastron in the front, much like Amity's, "Well, at least I'm not flat."

"Delaney!" Amity scolded, "That's the least of our problems."

"Don't tell me you didn't think the same thing," Delaney tried to lighten the mood that was beginning to look worse and worse, "I'm just wondering why we didn't die."

"Amity and I have a theory about that," it was the same English voice.

"Professor Sandra Karten?" Delaney looked toward a darker, far away corner of the cage. Out stepped the same cheetah hybrid she saw earlier in a far cage.

"That would be correct, Detective."


	14. Chp 13: Sandra Found

**Chapter 13:** Sandra Found

"But- I thought-that you-" Delaney struggled to comprehend the situation she now faced, "You…were…"

"Calm down, Detective Chasin," Sandra sat down against the bars next to Delaney urging Delaney to do the same before she completely toppled over from her uneasy balance, "You're taking your mutation better than I found out about mine. You really think that Kanin would have left me out as a test experiment? Her pride an joy, really."

"Too big of a treat, wasn't it?" Delaney sat down next to her and chuckled a little bit. She looked to her side and completely turned serious again, "I'm sorry I wasn't quick enough to get here in time to help you."

"From what I gathered, you didn't even get my case until I was all ready mutated. Do not worry yourself; there was nothing that you could have done at the time. I appreciate what you are doing now."

"What? Sitting on my backside after being turned into a turtle hybrid?" Delaney smirked and earned an annoyed glare from Amity, "What? That's what I'm doing."

"Okay," Amity sat down in front of the two of them, "So ready to hear our little theory?"

"Lay it on me, geniuses," Delaney nodded and patted her hard plastron, "I'm ready for just about anything at the moment."

"Well, for the most part Kanin has used mammal subjects and some species of bird to mutate and make hybrids and mutants. Me and the others around you are good examples of the diversity she liked to use. To make mutants she would introduce the mutagin to the animals and they would grow into a human kind of form. It would usually take some time, but she has found a way to speed up the process. In the hybrids case, like mine, she would introduce animal DNA to the mutagin before introducing it to the human," Sandra began, "Many usually survive."

"But she used uncontaminated mutagin on us," Delaney pointed out, "She didn't want us to survive."

"But she didn't count on us carrying some animal DNA on us," Amity said, looked in Delaney's confused face and sighed, "She probably looked for mammal DNA on us at some point when we were knocked out, or when we were in the cages. She didn't look for _reptilian_ DNA. In all her genius she didn't think of other possibilities. Somewhere on our clothes or skin we had a scale or something of the guys that merged with our own DNA when the mutagin was introduced."

"You mean when it was poured all over our face and bodies," Delaney paused for a moment and looked at her hands and plastron, "So you're telling me that… that technically, I'm part Mikey?"

"In a way yes," Amity answered since Sandra had no idea who or what Mikey was, "And I'm part Leo, Cal is part Raph, Eros is part Don… so on and so on. We're part of the guys in short."

"Talk about becoming one," Delaney muttered and felt her right hand for her ring. Her ring! It was gone. There was no way it would have stayed on during the mutation. The growth of her fingers would have been too much to keep it on. Either Kanin or Grinford took it… and she was going to kick ass to get it back. Either one of them try to pawn it and they would be in any more pain.

"Delaney? What's wrong?" Amity leaned forward.

"My ring is gone… They must taken it, the bastards," she growled as well as she could in her current form.

"They took mine as well," Sanrda looked at her hand and then smiled a little at Delaney, "It's a wonderful feeling to have that ring on your finger. To know… How long had you been engaged, detective?"

"It was just a present from over the Christmas holiday," Amity answered and looked at Delaney who was looking at the ceiling of the cage, trying to avoid eye contact with Amity, "That's right, isn't it Delaney?"

"You're going to hit me…very hard. More than likely in my head," Delaney squinted at the thought and turned to Sandra to answer her previous question, "He asked me Christmas night before we fell asleep."

"And you didn't tell us!" Amity did in fact hit Delaney in the head… hard, "Not me, not Callista, not Eros! We're your best friends and you don't have the decency to tell us! Who's going to be your bridesmaids, huh?"

"Callista and Eros! Where are they?" Delaney got up from the floor and tripped back to the ground, her shell pinning her down, "I haven't seen them since we got out."

"Delaney Chasin, don't you dare change the subject!" Amity looked at her and crawled over to tap her on her head.

"Don't worry, detective," Sandra stood up and put a hand on her shoulder, "They were brought from surgery twenty five minutes before you woke up. They're still out cold."

Delaney checked the far cage and found two rough outlines of shells lying on the floor. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her friends were okay, for the most part. They could still live through this whole mess.

"Sandra?" Delaney turned to look up at her, "Call me Delaney, huh? My name isn't detective, that's my occupation."

"Delaney," she nodded and tested the name on her tongue. She then abruptly turned when the side door opened and Grinford came through with a small mutant puppy under one arm. He came over to the cage, opened the door and threw in the cream colored, little body.

"Done with this one," he grunted and shut the door before any of the occupants could reach it, "Nothing gained that we all ready knew. Dumb dog just whined the whole time. Very annoying actually."

Sandra ran to the little body and held her head up, "Coral? Are you okay, little one? That's the last time they're going to take you, I promise."

The small head rolled from side to side, "I'm o-tay…"

'That's the puppy from earlier,' Delaney thought back to when Grinford took the puppy from the small cages when they were back in the first cage. As a mutant she didn't look more than a three year old little girl. It was the same color as before, but now she had shredded pieces of cloth used as clothing and long hair coming down to her shoulders. She looked so scared, but what kind of child wouldn't be in a place like this? Even if she was an animal, she still was a child and that's all there was to it.

"It looks like our own little detective is up," Grinford looked in at Delaney, "How'd you like the ride? A little bumpy?"

"Don't be silly, it was great- how about you try it?" Delaney spat in his face.

"Maybe later. I don't want to miss up my rugged good looks," he shook his head and looked at Sandra, "And we have a surprise for you later, professor."

Sandra rushed at the door of the cage, swiping her claws at Grinford on the other side, "Like I would appreciate or want anything form you or Kanin. Don't forget, Grindford, I now have teeth and claws and I'm not afraid to use them on a coward like you."

"Looks like kitty needs to be de-clawed. Maybe that could be worked into another test," he smirked and walked off, hearing the growling coming from the back of Sandra's throat.

"Who you?" Coral stood next to Delaney, trying to pull on her shell as if it was a piece of clothing. Delaney looked at the little girl and Amity came over to look and meet the toddler mutant. Coral tilted her head to the side as her ears flopped forward to show her intrest.

"My name is Delaney," she shook Coral's right hand –or paw in this case, "And this is my friend Amity."

"Coral!" she said proudly pointed to her chest and then looked at Sandra, "Sand, what we do?"

"We wait as always," Sandra leaned her head forward on the bars and sighed, "Wait for a rescue that may never come."

"I tired of waiting," Coral plopped herself on the ground and pouted, "I wanna run."

"Just a little longer, Coral," Delaney got up and walked to Sandra finally understanding and compromising with the feeling of the extra weight on her back, "More help is on the way."

"If you truly cared about them, you shouldn't have led them here," Sandra muttered, "They could be killed or mutated. Or even both, knowing Kanin."

"Don't ever doubt my feelings for my fiancée, Sandra," Delaney frowned, "I love him very much. I also know him too well. He knows what has to be done and he'll come even if I don't want him to. He'll come, even in the face of death. Your right, he could be killed… and that's the last thing that I would ever want for him."

"I'm sorry…I just wish I could see him…" Sandra squinted her eyes in pain, "I miss him so much. And he thinks that I'm dead. There is no pain greater to think that your loved one is dead and there is nothing that you can do to try and bring them back."

"I have an idea," Delaney patted her on the back and looked down at her right hand as if the ring was still there.

"Surprise! Surprise!" Grinford came into the room with pad in hand, "You don't need to be sad anymore. I am going to make your dreams come true."

"Delaney, Amity… don't speak," Sandra said as she sniffed the air, "You too Coral, keep quiet."

"And here she is, Professor Grayson," Kanin guided a shocked chemistry professor into the room, ripping off a blindfold that had covered his face, "There's your fiancée. Beautiful Sandra Karten, all in one peace, but in need of a little fix her up."

He looked in the cage at Delaney, Amity and Sandra. He then shook his head and cringed, "Not only have you broken our medical code, Kanin… You try to lead me to believe that this cheetah hybrid- as you call it- is my beloved Sandra? You are atrocious! It is a monstrous mutant and nothing more! How could you even think tha-"

"But it is your Sandra!" Kanin argued and pushed him toward the bars until he was a few feet away, "Look into her eyes… you are the only one that can help her come back. We need your knowledge of what she told you to bring her back. You're the best chemists… her only hope."

He looked through the bars and into Sandra's eyes. Their eyes locked and he tilted his head, unable to look away. Her eyes were so familiar, so like Sandra's. Her breathing shortened and she began to step forward as his hope began to resurface. So much like Sandra, his Sandra, "…Sandra."

Before he took another step to the bars, Sandra lunged the rest of the way and swiped at him, tearing the front of his lab coat off. Buttons flew out to the sides and Sandra stood still, teeth gritted and the white piece of cloth in her claws. He kept backing away and began to walk out in a furious rage.

"You're crazy, Kanin," Grayson added as he walked out, "Sandra was kidnapped and you destroy animals. That is _not_ Sandra and never will be."

"Wait!" Kanin and Grinford ran after him, hoping to convince him to come back.

Sandra dropped the material that was in her claws and began to sob. She fell to her knees and collapsed over on the floor, unable to control her tears or breathing. It took all of her strength to keep it all in, to keep him from knowing. Coral came out from her hiding place from behind Amity's legs and ran toward her friend.

"Why you hurt man?" Coral asked when she looked up at Sandra.

"I didn't try to hurt him, Coral," Sandra patted her head with tears staring to flow, "I just wanted to scare him away. I don't want him to get into trouble."

"He's all ready in trouble by seeing us, Sandra," Delaney put a hand on her shoulder, "And he doesn't report it… it's not going to be a good thing when this is all over. He could be arrested and serve some serious time."

"He's not taking part in this," she wiped her eyes, "You don't understand! If he knew that this thing was me, he would help them find a reverse mutagin with his knowledge of chemistry. To help _me_. As long as he thinks we're all animals in here, he'll be safe from all this. He'll have to keep his mouth shut because of… of all things company policy. In the very least he will call the humane society again, but they will not find us again. They never do, I never did. He'll grow frustrated and just stay quiet. And that will be that. He will never be heard from until Kanin tries to bring him down here again."

"What about them turning him into a hybrid?" Delaney asked, "Isn't that a very big responsibility?"

"He'll be useless as a hybrid," Sandra sniffed and coughed against the tears, "That's why they haven't put me to work. Why would they need him when they got the reverse mutagin in my head?"

"You o-tay, Sand?" Coral pulled on her skirt.

Sandra knelt down and hugged the little one while knelling, "I hope so."

"We will all be okay, honey," Delaney ruffled Coral's hair and Coral turned from Sandra and latched on to Delaney's leg. They both began to laugh and Delaney trudged about the cage to play with Coral. The little girl mutant began to laugh and bark with joy.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet," A voice from outside the cages reached them. A bright red colored fox hybrids walked up to the cage and looked at Delaney and Amity, "Looks like I'm a little too late for you girls. They're going to hit me for that one."

"What are you talking about? Who are you?" Delaney unlatched Coral from her leg and stared down the fox.

"Your turtles are coming," she whispered through the bars, "They really care for you, you know?"

"Who are you?" Delaney repeated, "How did you get out of the cages? I know Kanin's handiwork well enough to spot it."

"Tracie! You're back!" Grinford came into the room and patted her on the back, "I thought that I caught your tracking signal. Where are the other mutants you promised us?"

"They're coming," she nodded, "Tomorrow night. They think I'm working with them. They'll be coming in the front with all they have for their… friends. You can set a trap for them there. They won't expect that from a fellow mutant friend."

"No," Delaney shook her head, "How could you? They spared you! They let you go, you bitch!"

Tracie ignored Delaney and clasped her hands together, "Now, do I get to become human again? You promised! Please, can we do it now?"

"About that…" Grinford led her toward another cage that was opposite from Delaney and Sandra, "We lied…"

He pushed her in the cage with what looked like a black duck hybrid. Grinford laughed as he locked up the cage and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him. Tracie shook her head and looked at the hybrid she was thrown in with. The duck looked like a female version of Daffy duck with a pair of torn jeans and a large tee shirt on. She smirked and looked down at Tracie with a slight chuckle.

"Welcome back, Tracie," the duck girl said, "I told you they weren't gonna give it to you. They never give it up, even to an idiot like you."

"Shut it, Ronda! What would a stupid runaway know?" she growled and looked toward Delaney and Amity, "And before you plan to kill me-"

"Too late," Delaney gripped at the bars and gave a death glare at Tracie.

"They aren't coming tomorrow night," she picked herself up, "They're coming as soon as the scientists leave. Just through you'd like a heads up. They aren't going to get caught…at least I don't want them to. I want to get out of this Hell too."

"Then let's meet them," Amity nodded and found some metal scrapes and gave them to Delaney, "Still remember how to pick a lock? It could really help us."

"Academy days, don't fail me now," Delaney smiled and then looked back at her, "Why didn't we think of me picking before?"

"Well, she's been in there for a good forty-five minutes now," Raphael looked at Leo, "Looks like she didn't squeal on us after all. No scientist coming out with dissection kits."

"Good thing," Leo nodded and looked at the position of the sun, "We don't have that many places to hide out here in the daylight. The rest of them should be exiting any time now. It's almost mid morning. Donnie, you got an entrance?"

"The roof. There is a nice looking skylight that is right over where we need to be according to Tracie," Donatello nodded and turned to Michelangelo, "Our distraction coming?"

"Here he comes now," Mikey looked at the car coming down the street and stopping in front of the lab. Carson jumped from his car and began to flirt with the female scientists exiting the building while he waited to give the signal, "Yup that's Carson, all right. Always flirting with the girls."

"Let's move, turtles," Leo waved his hand and all four of them jumped to the roof and toward a sky light, "Now, just to wait for the rest to leave. Then we move in."

"Here I come, Delaney."


	15. Chp 14: Riding in on a White Horse

**A/N:** Hey everyone. Sorry about the very long delay. I've been side tracked so much lately and will be so much worse this next semester. My work has been eating up my free time while I'm on vacation from school. Luckily I have a few chapters all ready written I just need to type them out. I have at least three more to update from, so don't worry, more is coming soon. Hopefully I can get them out before I get back to school. I apologise again and thank you for still reviewing

**Chapter 14**: Riding In On the White Horse

After twenty-five minutes of working on the skylight, Mikey jumped as his shell cell went off on vibration against the side of his shell. He flopped open the viewing screen to see Carson's number on the dark screen.

"What's the haps, Carson?" Mikey asked the screen.

"Kanin and Grinford just left. Weren't very talkative," Carson joked, "Be careful in there. She may be a professor, but she's no where near nice."

"You're talking about guards?" Mikey tilted his head as he listened.

"I wouldn't doubt it. Careful you guys and good luck. I could use my partner back very soon."

"Thanks Carson," Mikey hung up the phone and nodded toward Leo, "It's a green light all around, Leo."

"Good timing," Donatello popped the skylight.

"Let's go," Leo and Raph lifted the glass top of the skylight and moved it off to the side. All four jumped into the empty labs and covered their entrance again.

Leo looked to his right and saw the back side of the fake elevator doors that led into the real labs where the girls may be. He looked at Donatello who had just noticed the same thing.

"You would think that they would hide something like this away from a sky light," Leo commented.

"Best place to hide anything is out in the open," Donatello sighed and began to look at the different doors and rooms to find out where they were. Michelangelo peeked into the rooms ahead and kept going when he didn't see the girls. As the group passed a smaller room that Michelangelo over looked, Donatello grabbed Raph's arm and pointed to the table sitting just inside.

"What? I don't see anything," Raph shrugged his shoulders and tried to continue forward.

"It's because you're not looking," Donatello walked up too the table and showed him the broken piece of a shell cell. Michelangelo and Leonardo came up behind them and looked at the broken machinery.

"That's Delaney's," Michelangelo pointed out as he saw a small etching that she made years ago in one of the broken panels.

"And look at this," Raphael grabbed a shirt that was sitting on a pile of clothing on one of the tabletops. He pulled at the tag on the back of the shirt and showed it to his brothers. It was a Faut Wear shirt, one of Callista's own line, "I don't like this. This is one of her favorite shirts."

"I don't like this either, bro," Michelangelo stepped over to the rest of the clothing and found Delaney's pants. He rubbed absentmindedly over the pockets and was surprised when he found her ring. He quickly took off the chain that still held Delaney's Grandmother's ring on it and placed her engagement ring on along with it. When he found her he would have to give it back to her. He slipped the chain back on and turned to find Donatello looking at him with a sympathetic glance. He nodded to assure Donatello and looked back down at the busted shell cell, "What do you think they're doing with that?"

"Probably trying to track us with it," Donatello sighed and looked at the other machinery surrounding the small, smashed device, "I need to see how much they know all ready and erase it. Last thing we need is them to follow us home."

"Do it," Leonardo nodded his head and glanced to his side where Raph was still looking at Callista's shirt, "Raph, you stay and keep watch. Donatello needs all the backup he can get if we have some visitors. He won't be completely prepared if he's going to concentrate on that screen."

"Wha- wait a minute, Leo!"

"Just do it," Leo stepped toward him, "We'll bring the girls with us. We're not leaving Eros _or_ Callista behind. You will see her again."

Raphael snorted and just nodded. He put the shirt off to the side again and stepped behind Donatello, who had all ready took his seat at the computer. Time was of the essence and he didn't have enough of it to argue with his brother. Leonardo followed Michelangelo out of the room and down another corridor. There were very few other scientists in the building and most of them weren't even aware of the lab behind the elevator doors. As long as they were in the secret lab there were relatively safe from being seen.

As they turned around another corridor, Leonardo saw Michelangelo rub his fingers over the small chain and fancy ring he gave to Delaney for Christmas.

"We'll find her, Mikey. Don't worry, we'll find all of them."

"I'm not worried. Not finding her isn't an option," he said and kept a step ahead of Leonardo, "Now was that a left at the twelfth water fountain or a right, according to Tracie?"

* * *

"Almost there…" Delaney struggled with the last bit of the lock, "Come on… God, I hate doing the stupid locks from the inside. I can't see it and the dim lights don't help."

"Sandra, why did you look up the ooze mutation to begin with?" Amity asked with Coral's head in her lap. It had been a while and she was getting tired of the silence. Apparently, so was Coral.

"What do you mean, 'look up'?" Sandra smiled at the thought of some conversation.

"Well, you didn't just have it lying around the house when you were walking around- ow! Cramp! Cramp!" Delaney shook her hand to keep it from cramping any worse and looked at Sandra with a smirk, "Did you?"

"Actually, I did," she nodded and watched Amity's mouth drop and Delaney quirk an eyebrow.

"Wait up a sec!" she held out a hand as if stopping someone and put the other toward her face where her nose would have been if she still had it. Once she noticed that she couldn't pinch the ridge of it like she wanted to, she dropped her hand and sighed, "What do you mean you did?"

"To make a complicated story very short and sweet, my Uncle on my mother's side was one Jordan Perry-"

"The original inventor of the ooze?" Delaney rubbed her cramped hand and turned around to set back to work on the lock, "That does explain why you did… have it around the house that is. Interesting, now we know how he fits into the puzzle."

Amity cocked her head to the side and patted Coral's head as she began to move her head a little, "But why? Why have the ooze resurface now in New York agian?"

"My uncle and TGRI made such a mess of things here, I was hoping to see and study the effects of the 'ooze', as you call it, and reverse it. The merging of animal and human DNA was never to extend past hypothesizing since no humans were really harmed that we knew of. True, I was thinking of doing some cell studies, but nothing like what she is doing. I guess Kanin had other plans for my uncle's work. How do you know of him? I got the impression you knew of him before I had said anything."

"More like our guys know of him," Delaney grunted against one of the locks, "Ow! Dammit! I need my other two fingers."

"Your guys?" Sandra tilted her head to the side in question, "How would your boyfriends know my uncle?"

"You'll meet them soon- urgh- hopefully. And then you'll understand," Delaney took a deep breath and looked back at Sandra, "Do you know how to reverse the mutation process?"

"Not totally… but I am a few steps away. It's on the computer data base," she looked at the ceiling, "If I can only get into the mainframe files."

"Maybe Donnie can bust in there and get it for us," Delaney looked at Amity, "Then we can get everyone back to normal."

"Yeah… how's that lock coming?" Amity nodded to the few pieces of metal sticking out of the lock.

"Okay, okay. I can take a hint. Back to work, Delaney," she rolled her eyes and pushed one final time. With a large 'click' the door opened and Delaney stood there shocked, "What do you know… three fingers are as good five. I'll never doubt you again my dear friends."

"Delaney, do my a favor and don't talk to your hands," Amity smiled and began to shake Coral awake, "Come on, little girl. Time to get out of here."

Delaney smiled at Sandra who helped the little puppy up and began to walk with Amity. Even though she was still a bit woozy with her shell, thanks to Coral, she was able to control her walking much better. If she needed to she could probably even run. Knowing the situation that they were in, she was glad of that possibility. She made her way over to the other cage with the still unconscious Eros and Callista and began on the new lock.

"Uh… Delaney?" Amity asked from behind her, about to tug on her shoulder.

"It will take a lot less time to crack this one, I promise. I'm outside the cage this time," she sighed and leaned back to look at it for a moment. Before she leaned over to continue, Amity leaned over and unlocked it with a small key, "Where'd you get that?"

"It was on the wall," Amity laughed, "They really underestimate their subjects."

"You're telling me," Delaney opened the door and started to prod at Callista, "Hey, Brandeen, wake up."

"Ten more minutes," she grumbled and turned toward Delaney trying to shoo her away. She looked just as Amity and Delaney did, except her green skin was much darker, just like Raph's. She kept her black hair and more than likely her brown eyes as well, but Delaney's couldn't see them since Callista refused to open them.

Delaney rolled her eyes and tried again, "Time to wake up, Callista. WE need to get outta here."

"Five more than," she grumbled and frowned.

"Girls?" Sandra asked from the side of the new cage, "Do you mind speeding things up? We may have some guests joining us soon."

Delaney and Amity looked at the side wall where two figures had opened the door that Kanin and Grinford had used many times to get in and out of the labs. Delaney pushed Sandra and Coral down and snuck to the door of the cage. Amity stayed right behind her. As the two figures came close to their cage, Delaney sprung in front of them and stood in her best offense position. Before she could switch into attack mode she heard Tracie scramble to the side of her cage and yell out at her to stop.

"Wait! That's them! Stop!"

Delaney nearly tripped forward, with the velocity of her shell throwing her forward and almost face first into the floor. She looked through the darkness to see Leonardo and Michelangelo step into the light with weapons in hand. She stood stunned and almost dropped in relief. They had come for them.

After regaining balance and her wits, she stared at them and they stared confused back at her. The two brothers took a look at one another and put their weapons back on their shell or in their belt. After sharing a few dozen confused looks, Michelangelo decided to take a step forward for a better look at the new female mutant. A smile finally grew on her face and she launched herself at him with all the power she had.

"Mikey!" she wrapped her arms around his waist as best she could and snuggled next to him, "God, I've missed you. I've been waiting so long, and have been so worried about you."

Michelangelo didn't know what to do with the female turtle that was fiercely attached to his waist. He was spoken for, and if Delaney knew about this, he was as good as dead. He looked at Leonardo for some kind of feed back on what to do, but Leo just stared back at him with a 'what have you been doing with out Delaney' look. Mikey rolled his eyes and patted the woman on the head gently, trying to pry her off of him.

"Not that I'm very flattered by this and all, dudette," Mikey finally managed to get her arms from around him, "But I'm taken."

"I know," Delaney nodded and began to giggle, "Are you kid…ding me…"

The realization finally hit her hard. Her heart dropped and she could feel the stinging pain of a breaking heart. He didn't recognize her and probably never would the way she was now. She was a complete stranger to him. And there she was hugging all over him.

"Actually, I'm claimed by a bodacious babe about this high," he put a hand just about his eye level, "She's a detective-"

"For the NYPD and has hazel eyes and red tinted hair- although you know it's naturally more brown than red. Six years ago she helped you take down a ninja clan who also killed both of her parents. You fell in love with one another in the sewers below New York city and just this past Christmas you asked her to marry you," Delaney finished and dropped her head.

"You what?" Leonardo snapped his head toward Mikey, "And you didn't tell us?"

"How'd you know all that?" he looked at the young turtle woman and ignored his brother. She wouldn't answer and he grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly, "You know where she is, don't you? Where? Please, tell me. Please!"

"All you need to do is look harder," she looked up at him and into his eyes, "Please find me in this, Mikey. I can't wait any longer for my prince to ride in on a white horse."

He looked in her eyes and the way her hair fell into them from the side. He took his tie scanning her hazel eyes and what lay beyond them. There was something he knew, something he wanted, and something that he needed. Then it finally clicked.

"Delaney?" he asked cautiously, brushing some of her hair from her eyes, "Honey…"

"Bingo," she nodded with tears of joy gathering in her eyes.

"Oh God," he hugged her tightly and put his head on her shoulder, "Why- how could I not see you? I'm so sorry."

"I'm just glad you recognized me," she smiled and hugged him back, "I have missed you so much."

She felt his shoulders heave a bit as he began to sob onto her shoulder, "When the screen…w-went black… went to static… I-I thought…"

"Shh, it's okay," she rubbed behind his head, "I'm okay- for the most part. I'm still alive."

"But how?" he took a step back and wiped his tears, looking at her new body.

"It's a long story and a long explanation," she shook her head, "And we got to get out of here."

"Agreed," Leonardo stepped forward, "Where are the other girls?"

"If you're wondering about Amity-"

Before Delaney could finish, Amity ran past her and Michelangelo and smack into Leo. She didn't say anything and neither did he. They just stood together, wrapped tightly to one another.

"Well, that was quick," Delaney commented and looked at Leo and Amity in one another's arms.

"Where are the other two dudettes?" Mikey asked, looking down a little at Delaney.

"They are-"

A scream blasted from the cage and Mikey and Delaney both jumped back. They turned to find Coral holding tightly to Sandra's legs, Callista holding the side of her head and Eros still screaming her head off. Callista, still with blurred vision, slapped her hand over Eros's mouth to quiet her.

"What an alarm clock," she groaned and started to feel Eros's beak, "Bulls-eye… did you get a serious make over or something?"

Eros pushed her hand away from her mouth, "Why do you think I'm screaming? I'm not me and neither are you!"

"Of course I'm not you," Callista rubbed her eyes to get out her blurry vision. Little by little green blobs became clear and a turtle Eros came into view, "Whoa."

"Look at yourself," Eros crossed her arms over her plastron and almost fell over from the new weight.

"You guys okay?" Delaney looked into the cage and looked at both of her friends, "Callista, you still have your eardrums?"

"D?" Eros cocked her head to the side, "We all changed?"

"Amity and I were first," Delaney nodded, "They guys are here. We gotta go when the going's good."

"No arguments here," Callista stood up and stumbled immediately. Delaney caught her under the arms and stabled her, "Thanks."

"No problemo. Those shells make it a bit hard on your balance," she smiled and looked to Amity who helped Eros to stable herself on her feet, "Let's go."

"Not to damper anything," Mikey pointed to Sandra and Coral, "Who are they?"

"May I introduce Professor Sandra Karten," Delaney nodded to Sandra and then looked at Coral, "And that adorable little mutant strapped to her leg is Coral. She is a full mutant just like you guys."

"Okay, enough introductions if you don't mind!" Tracie called from her cage, "Get us out of here!"

"Just a second," Leonardo came over and shopped off the lock, "Good job, Tracie."

"Thank you," she nodded, "What about the others?"

"We'll have to come back for them. We just don't have the time or the resources for a massive jailbreak.

"Where's wax brain?" Callista asked from Delaney's side.

"Raphael and Donatello are on the computer erasing any info on us and getting as much useful info as he can on this place and the other scientists."

Coral began sniffing the air and ran over to Amity's side, "Am…"

"What's the matter, Coral?" she looked down still holding Eros at her side.

"I smell bad," she looked at the doorway that Leo and Mikey had entered through.

"Not true, little dudette," Mikey patted her head, "You don't smell all that bad at all."

"That's not what she meant, Mikey," Delaney looked toward the door seeing a few dozen shadows coming toward the door. It sure wasn't Donatello and Raphael for sure.

"Oh snap."


	16. Chp 15: Finding You

**A/N:** It has been too long, and I am terribly sorry. I've been so bogged down by my school and academy. Hopefully this chapter will be the start of more to come. Biggest apologies to my readers and I hope you enjoy this.

**Chapter 15:** Finding You

A quick look around the immediate area, Michelangelo found another door that once led to the other laboratories, "Leo, over here!"

Michelangelo and Leonardo ran over to the other door while the girls kept their eyes on the doorway. They strained against the door, only to find that it was locked shut, more than likely bolted from the other side. Leonardo leaned against it as Michelangelo began to kick at one section hoping that it was fracture or splinter.

"Um, boys? Any luck?" Tracie asked as she started to move away from the doorway where the shadows were coming closer, "Cause I'm thinking we're not going to like this company."

After kicking it one more time Michelangelo shook his head at Leonardo and they ran back to the girls to put themselves between them and the door. In came three different, new mutants and stared at them. Unfortunately, something told Delaney and Amity that these mutants actually wanted to be there instead of being forced to stay inside a cage like the others. All three of them seemed to have been at one time some kind of bird like Rhonda was mutated with.

"How'd you get out?" a big eagle-like mutant came toward them, and stepped closer to Delaney than anyone else, "Detective Chasin, I know Professor Kanin doesn't want you out. She told us specific instructions with you. No escape under any circumstances. Must be a great prize in store for you."

Delaney sneered at the mutant as he began to step further toward her. He reached a hand out toward her, "Although, if I hand you as a prisoner myself, I wouldn't let you go either."

"Back off," Michelangelo hit him back with his nunchakus with a grimace on his face.

"Get them!" the eagle pointed at them and the other two bird-like mutants ran toward them.

"Ready Leo?"

"Let's go," he nodded at Mikey.

Before they had the chance to step toward the fight, the two advancing of the three mutants were knocked to the ground from behind. Donatello and Raphael flipped over the top of the third mutant as Donatello hit him in the back of the head with his bo staff on his way down, knocking him down to the ground to join its buddies.

"Donnie," Eros smiled from the side of the cage still leaning on Amity for support, and caused Donatello to turn his attention her.

"It can't be… Eros?" Donatello, recognizing her voice, walked to where Amity still tried her best to keep Eros from falling on her new shell. He looked over her new face and body, trying to comprehend the new development. His eyes swept her face, now missing her nose, eyebrows and ears and turned green.

"I'm not one of your experiments, Donnie," Eros said with a sigh and reached out toward him, "Help Amity here, would ya?"

He nodded, still a bit stunned, took her off of Amity's shoulder and looked at Mikey and Leo, "What happened to them?"

"We don't know the details yet," Leo shook his head and patted Amity on the back as she shook out her limbs from being under Eros's weight.

"Hey Raph?" Delaney grunted under Callista's weight with a cheesy smile on her face, "Would you mind getting your girl here? Her shell is a little heavier than I thought it would be."

"I bet you're no light feather either, D," Callista grunted back at her friend as she leaned harder on Delaney's shoulder to get her point across.

"And how do I know that it's actually Cal for sure?" he crossed his arms over his plastron and leaned toward Callista with a grimace, "Who knows… this could be a big trap and the real girls are somewhere else and these girls will try to destroy us once our backs are turned."

Callista narrowed her eyes at him and swiftly hit him over the head with her fist and began to yell at him, "Who'd ya think I am yak breath? I otta' hit you harder in that thick, dome head of yours. You really think that Delaney would be holding some random person over her shoulder, supporting a good portion of their weight?! Do you, you jack ass?!"

Suddenly Raphael smiled and plucked Callista from Delaney's side. Before Callista had a chance to argue, he kissed her as hard as he could and spun in a tight circle. He set her back on the ground and released her from the kiss.

"Yeah, that's my baby," he chuckled and couldn't dodge Callista's hand coming behind his head again, "Ouch."

"Don't try that again," she warned and glared at him straight in her eyes. Without another second she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss.

Tracie came up to stand next to Delaney with a quizzical look, "Are they always like this?"

"You have no idea," Delaney rolled her eyes at her best friend, "So, can we get out of here or what guys?"

"Come on, I know an easy way out of here," Tracie motioned them to follow her, "I used it when I was told to follow the turtles."

As they passed over the three wounded mutants, Raphael kicked the grumbling leader in the head, knocking him the rest of the way out cold.

When they walked down the hallways of the empty science facility Sandra kept sniffing the air to make sure no one was following them. Coral copied her constantly as she tried to look like she was doing something important. Delaney watched her with a small smile on her face. The little puppy reminded her so much of her niece and nephew when they were younger. How could Kanin have put such an innocent life through so much pain and torture for the good of science?

All four turtles kept close physical contact on the girls to make sure they didn't loose them again. Although it seemed like Michelangelo was over doing it quite a bit. If he had Delaney any closer they would have been literally sharing a shell.

"Mikey, honey, do you think you can loosen the grip a little?" she squeaked as if she was running out of air.

"Not until we get you back safe and sound in the lair and far away from this place," he shook his head, "I'm not taking the chance of losing you again. We've had way too many close calls in the past."

She sighed in understanding. They have had too many close calls during their relationship. From the time that they were working on tracking down the ninjas who killed her parents to now, it always seemed like there was something or someone trying to take one or the other away. It was like losing your heart each and every time. It was a miracle to think that they had survived each one of them up to now.

She looked up and saw the chain around his neck and the two rings that now hung from it, "You found it. I hoped they didn't throw it out."

He looked down at her and nodded, "Yeah, it looks like I got to find a chain for you since I doubt it will fit your finger anymore. And here I went through all that trouble to find the right size. That jeweler really didn't like me by the end of the day."

"Speaking of the ring," Amity narrowed her eyes at Michelangelo and Delaney, "Why didn't you tell the rest of us about your engagement?"

"Engagement?" both Eros and Donatello snapped their heads toward the two that were slowly turning a little red in the cheeks.

"Whoa, Whoa! Back up the truck here!" Raph quirked an eye ridge at his little brother, "You asked her if she wanted to get hitched?"

"And yet it sounded so much more romantic when you asked me," Delaney rolled her eyes patting Michelangelo's hand that was on her waist.

"We were going to tell all of you," Michelangelo rubbed the back of his head with his free hand and grinned wide at his brothers, "Surprise?"

"Sure is," Callista smirked, "And here I though that I would be one of the first people to know. And knowing you with good news, it's amazing that we all haven't found out by now."

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise," Delaney smiled, almost matching Mikey's expression.

Callista chuckled a bit and looked at Raphael, "It's okay, I can walk on my own now. I think I have my balance figured out."

"I'm still not letting you go."

"Who said I wanted you to?"

"Guess that Mikey and Delaney won't be the only one's wanting to get hitched," he gave her a low growl and grinned.

"That's Raph for you… so romantic."

"We can talk about it all back at the lair, okay?" Delaney tried to change the topic from the engagement and Raphael and Callista's flirting, "How far is the exit, Tracie?"

"A few more turns and we'll be at the door I used earlier," she called over her shoulder at the group, "We must be pretty lucky. We haven't reached any problems with this plan yet."

"Please don't jinx us," Eros spoke up from the middle of the group, her arm around Donatello's.

Sandra, Coral and Rhonda walked close together near Delaney and Michelangelo. He looked over Delaney's head and took in the fact that Sandra Karten was no longer a human. The cheetah hybrid wore torn clothes and her fur was matted in a few places, nothing seemed to reflect the professor they had fought to save. The only thing that she seemed to keep from her human form was her eyes, and more than likely her personality. She wasn't a human and may never be again according to Donatello's research. She noticed his staring and looked back at him.

"I'm sorry for staring. And not to be rude," he started by apologizing, "But aren't you supposed to be more… uh, human?"

"Aren't the girls?" she questioned back with her thick English accent, putting a reassuring hand on the top of Coral's head. The little puppy-girl had latched on to the side of her skirt and kept a tight hold ever since they left the main caged area.

"Touché," he nodded and looked at Coral who had been absolutely captivated by Michelangelo, "How's it going down there, squirt?"

"I like you," she smiled and let go of Sandra's skirt to latch on to Mikey's leg. He stopped for a moment to adjust to the new puppy leg weight and kept walking.

"Well, you're not at all that bad either, Coral," he smiled and looked at Delaney who had a huge grin on her face, "What?"

"You're good with kids," she stated simply and turned forward. He cocked his head to the side to figure out what she meant. After a few moments of silence it finally clicked and he blushed.

"You have seen me with Shadow before," she squeaked, trying to find his voice, "And Casey had never had a reason to worry."

"I know, but I always loved that fact about you," she rested her head on his shoulder as they walked the halls and finally whispered, "It means that you would make a great father. That's always a good thing."

His face could have gone pure red if his brothers weren't surrounding him, "You think so?"

"No doubt about it," she kissed him on the cheek and chuckled.

As the group turned what Tracie said was their last left, alarms began to sound and red light flashed above them. The turtles went on guard and pushed the girls and the hybrids toward the middle of the group.

"It sounds like our bird friends woke up," Leonardo looked at a couple of the flashing lights.

"I told you, you'd jinx us," Eros sighed and looked at Tracie as if to validate her point from earlier.

"I think it would be better to retreat then to fight this time. We have no idea what kind of mutants Kanin have trained to track us down. Those bird mutants from earlier only confirms that," Tracie said and pushed at the guys to run.

Coral was trying to bark at whatever was following them, but was picked up by Michelangelo as they ran after Tracie. They turned into a long corridor and saw a large, thick door dropping over the exit. The group ran full speed, but still ended up hitting cold steel.

"No!" Tracie kicked the door and looked back at the way they came, "I guess we will have to fight. I just didn't like that idea."

"Maybe we won't necessarily have to," Sandra shook her head before Donatello could volunteer, "Remember, I used to work here. I know the system like the back of my hand."

Her fingers tapped on the wall to reveal a small control panel. She pressed the small buttons quickly and entered a few dozen digits.

"Override accepted, Professor Karten," the wall beeped and the door slowly lifted from the floor. Sandra put the panel back in place on the wall and they all waited, watching the door clear their way.

"Is there anyway that you could speed that process up, prof?" Raph asked as he watched a few more mutants turn the corner and run toward them.

"It looks like a small standoff is in order," Donatello took a step forward in front of Eros.

"Here, babe," Michelangelo handed Coral to Delaney and took out his nunchakus, "As soon as that door is clear I want you to take Coral and the others to run to the lair."

"I can fight too, you know I can, Mikey," she tried to argue.

"Have you tried as a turtle?" he asked pointing to his own shell, "I know you can fight, but you're not used to your new body yet."

She looked down and sighed in defeat, "All right, but you guys better be right behind us."

"Promise. I gotta marry you someday and I can't do that if I'm dead," he smiled down at her as she shifted Coral in her arms and she gently rubbed her back. He chuckled a bit at the picture.

"What?"

"You standing like that," he kissed her forehead, "You look like a great mother."

"Here they come," Leonardo took out his katanas and watched the mutants advance.

All of the mutants looked like they were a part of a small pack of wolves, and they were ready to fight. They stopped short by a few feet from the group and stared them down. The biggest one that looked like the only male stepped forward.

"We have no desire to wage war with fellow mutants, brothers," he spoke in a deep growl, "But we have orders. We need the hybrids back. You may take the young one with you if you wish."

"We cannot let you take them," Leo tried to buy time for the door to rise and let them out, "They were taken from us before and we are only bringing them home. They are too important to us. Will we not surrender them."

"All of them are so important?" the pack leader looked at Sandra, Rhonda and Tracie briefly before turning back to Leonardo.

"They are friends," Leonardo answered, "And yes they are important. We do not give up on friends."

"I am impressed by your loyalty," the leader bowed his head, "but I do have my orders from my mistress."

"And I have my duty," Leo nodded back to him.

The first few wolves lunged forward after Leo and Raph who were in front. A couple more went after Michelangelo and Donatello, leaving the girls by the door. Delaney looked to find the handle on the door and tried it. It was locked from what looked like the outside and then looked down at Coral.

"Door, please open," Coral whimpered, scared of the vicious looking wolves coming toward them. Delaney pushed down Coral's head and kicked at the door. After a few kicks didn't help, she turned and began backing her shell into it. Luckily it was just enough.

"Let's go," Delaney pushed Coral into Amity's arms and out the door, "Lead the way Amity."

"D, we can't let them fight alone," Callista began to argue, "We gotta help them."

"Not like this," Delaney pointed back to her shell.

Callista cracked her knuckles and ran toward the fight instead of the exit.

"Callista!"

Only a few moments later she came flying back out of the fight, hitting her head on her way down. She was knocked back out and another heavy weight.

"Always has to be the difficult one, always argues," Delaney looked up to Eros, "Eros, you and Tracie get Callista. Move!"

Both Eros and Tracie grabbed an arm as Rhonda took her feet, gently guiding her through the door.

"Let go of me!"

Delaney looked back and found Sandra being partially dragged by one of the female wolves to the wall. Delaney began to run toward her, but saw Sandra shake her head for a negative.

"Get out of here, Detective," Sandra unsheathed her claws and dug them into the wolf's arms, "Get the turtles and go!"

Against better judgment, Delaney turned toward the fight, "Guys, let's get out of here!"

Mikey and Donnie hit two at a time to the ground and Leonardo kicked off the wolf leader. Raphael finished with his last opponent and sprinted toward the door. Leo, Raph and Donnie went first and Michelangelo put a hand to Delaney's back to have her go before him.

"Sandra!" Delaney yelled at her.

"They'll follow me! Go! Now!" she sliced at the place where the control panel was with her claws. Michelangelo looked up, grabbed Delaney and jumped through the doorway. They giant, steel door slammed back into place behind them, locking the wolf pack and Sandra behind it.

"Dammit!" Delaney cursed half because of Sandra and half because Michelangelo landed on top of her. He quickly got up and helped her to her feet. She looked back at the door and sighed, "Can't do much about it now. She gave us a head start."

"Let's take advantage of it," Leo called from the side and Michelangelo and Delaney caught up with the others. Coral saw Mikey and reached for him. He took her in his arms and she began to fall asleep against him.

"Sand come too?" she yawned.

"A little later, honey," Delaney patted her on the head, "Later."


	17. Chp 16: Saying Goodbye

**Chapter 16:** Saying Goodbye

Soon after turning from Coral, Delaney looked over to find Raph had picked up an unconscious looking Callista.

"What happened?" he asked, growling at the door.

"It seems like _someone_ doesn't listen to instructions and decided to do some fighting before she was ready," Delaney crossed her arms.

"Ouch," Raphael squinted, "She's gonna have a hell of a headache when she wakes up. And so will whoever did this to her."

"I know, but her headache will be her own fault. I told her she wasn't ready. None of us were," Delaney rolled her eyes and looked down at her best friend, "And believe me, I'm going to rub it in as much as I can when she wakes up."

"Guys, we don't have much time for talk," Donatello reminded them and looked at the door that had just slammed behind them, "That will only delay them. They will get through that at one point very soon. I'd much rather not be here when that event occurs."

"Agreed," Leonardo nodded, "Let's get going, everybody."

The group quickly made their way through the back alleys of the compound trying to find the closest concealed man hole cover. If they couldn't find anything soon, they would more than likely have to hide out in a dark alley until nightfall. With both hybrids and mutants following what could be feet behind them, they knew that hiding in a dark corner is far from the best decision- especially with little Coral kicking and whining in Michelangelo's arms.

Leo held out his hand to stop the group from cutting across the next alley. Donatello and Leonardo had their hands on their respected weapons and had to watch out for anything that may be a threat. With Raphael carrying Callista and Mikey carrying Coral, they were two turtles down. They were prepared for any attacks, from mutants or more professors and scientists.

Mikey slowly came up next to Leo who was still watching the people walking on the nearby street, "Uh, Leo?"

"Yeah Mikey?" Leo asked with his eyes still focused on the people.

"Why don't we just take the van?" Mikey nodded behind the group at a small, dark green van. It looked like it had been hit a few dozen times and the front was caked with dirt and dried mud, but it still seemed to be in working order, "And the best part is that it's in our color."

"It's worth a shot, Leo," Delaney spoke up next to him, "It is cover and possibly one of the last places for those mutants to look for us. When they get through that door, they will more than likely head down to the sewers or in the surrounding alleys. It's better to be out of those areas."

"I agree with her," Donatello nodded, "And with Callista, out like she is, we need a place where we can set her down. It's not good to be dragging her around like this."

"All right, let's go," Leonardo led the group over to the van. They were right; it was cover from being out in the day time and a place to keep low other than a group of garbage cans.

Donatello looked at the lock on the sliding door of the van and tilted his head to the side. Delaney looked over Donatello's shoulder at the door itself and the locking mechanism right where the glass meets the door on the inside. She watched him for a few seconds more, began to chuckle, stepped forward and grabbed the handle, opening it effortlessly.

"You waiting for an invitation?" Delaney asked as she jumped into the surprisingly spacious van and turned to take Coral from Michelangelo's arms. After Mikey sat down in one of the seats closest to the driver's seat, Delaney handed Coral back to him and helped Raphael load the still unconscious Callista into the van.

Raphael sat in the back of the van on the floor and laid Callista's head in his lap. Leonardo and Amity sat on the opposite side from Delaney and Michelangelo. Rhonda sat right behind the driver's seat and Tracie sat across from her, manning the door to the van. Eros and Donnie were the last to get in. Eros sat next to Amity and the door while Donatello jumped to the driver's seat.

"Everybody buckle up," Donatello called over his shoulder. He found the keys in the driver's sun visor and laughed a bit to think that people hide them there and actually think that no one will find them. He looked at the steering column and then at the gears to his side, "Uh… we got a problem."

"What's wrong Donnie?" Leonardo walked up to the front of the van and looked over the passenger's seat.

"Anybody know how to drive stick shift?"

"You mean that the genius never learned?" Delaney smirked at the rearview mirror at the front of the van.

Donatello looked back at her through the mirror, "And did the detective?"

Delaney's smile fell and she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her plastron.

"I didn't think so," he smiled.

"I meant to…" she mumbled and looked at Callista still out on the floor, "How is it that it's our luck that the one that I know, knows how to drive manual is out like a light?"

"Because we wouldn't be as dramatic if everything worked out the way we wanted it to," Michelangelo offered and then stopped to look at Coral who began to kick and howl in her sleep, "Shhh, it's okay little one. You're okay."

"As soon as we can get this can on the road," Raphael grunted, "And don't you guys start with me. I'm too used to driving my motorcycle."

"Spoiled," Mikey threw at his brother,

"Don't start, Mikey."

"Okay, so we're out of the open, but we got to get out of here at one point or another," Leonardo sighed and looked out the front of the van.

Donatello jumped and let out a small squeal when there was a loud knocking at the side window of the van. He took a breath and looked to his side to see if he could talk his way out of this one. As he rolled down the dirty windows, Carson's smiling face was on the other side.

"License and registration, sir," he joked.

"Carson! You are so lucky that I didn't try to cut you in half," Leo grabbed at the front of his plastron and headed back to his seat next to Amity.

"What seems to be the problem anyway?"

"No one seems to know how to drive manual transmission…" Donatello mumbled low.

"Is that it?" Carson chuckled a little and opened the driver's door, "Scoot over, Don. I'll take it over."

Donatello climbed to the passenger side as Carson took his place in the driver's seat. He buckled his seat belt and adjusted his mirrors accordingly.

"Any time now!" Raph yelled from the back with Callista tightly against him.

"Okay, okay…" he put the car into gear and began to drive through the back alley, "Don't need to get grumpy on me."

"What about your car, dude?" Michelangelo nodded back toward the laboratory where his cruiser was parked.

"I brought a rookie with me to be trained," he shrugged, "They'll take it back to the station under my order. No problem there. I love it when their straight out of the academy and follow the level of hierarchy. On that note, did you guys have any luck finding my partner?"

"Who do you think I am, _partner_?" Delaney leaned forward so he could see her in the rear view mirror, "Good to see that you got through a plan in one piece. Kind of thinking you'd be riddled with holes by now. We gotta celebrate later."

"Chasin?" Carson kept taking glance in the mirror back at her and the other girls and then back at the road, "Nice to see you pulled though, Tracie."

"You have doubts?" Tracie smiled back.

"Some."

"That makes two of us."

Carson nodded and turned back to Delaney, "What's she do to you girls?"

"Long story," Delaney switched seats with Rhonda so she could sit right behind Carson to tell him her story. Mikey handed off the sleeping puppy once again and Delaney made it a little more comfortable for her. She sighed and leaned in the corner of the driver's seat and the side of the van, "What do you want to hear first?"

"Okay," Carson took a deep breath as she checked for traffic and turned onto a main road, "First off, did you find our victim, Professor Karten?"

"Yes, we did," Delaney nodded even though he couldn't see her, "She's also been mutated. Then she decided to play heroine and was recaptured before we could get her out."

"Isn't that our luck?" Carson shook his head and checked to find that most of the windows in the back were either tinted or caked with mud, "And you're green now because there's a new masquerade ball that I don't know about?"

"Didn't I just mention mutation?" Delaney asked and slapped Carson in the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"We were also wondering about the change," Leonardo looked at Amity and held her hand.

"'Why turtles?' is more of the question," he turned to look back and Eros and the other girls, "Most of what I saw in the cages when I was in there were mammals or birds."

"Well, you guys aren't nice little kitty cats, are you?" Delaney watched as Coral began to kick her legs in her sleep at the mention of cats.

"Us?" Raphael felt Callista begin to move and possibly come to, "What does this have to do with us? They got none of our DNA."

"No, but we did," Delaney put her finger up to make a point and looked at Amity, "Mind to enlighten them, brain?"

"Kanin used a pure mixture of mutagen to 'test' on us, but she didn't count on us having something other than human DNA on us. When the mutagen hit us the DNA that was left by you guys on our person was merged with ours. Thus, we are turtle-human hybrids."

"And hott ones at that," Mikey smiled and Delaney could only smile back, "You know, I've always wondered what I would look like as a girl…"

"Don't even," Delaney pointed a finger at him.

"So let me get my head around this," Carson called from the driver's seat, "All four of you girls have some kind- er part of the guys in you?"

"That's the nutshell from the sound of it," Callista blinked a few times and held her head.

"And now she wakes up," Rhonda threw her hands up, "Where were you like five tense minutes ago?"

"How's it feeling, Cal?" Delaney asked.

"Could be better," she shook her head and slowly sat up.

"Teaches you a little something to following my lead?"

"Nothing of that nature at all," Callista smirked, "It just means that wolf looking mutants have a mean back kick."

"I swear, I get no where with her!"

"So, where are we heading, gang?" Carson looked in the rear view mirror at his mismatched crew.

"Take us home, my good man," Mikey reached over and patted the back of the seat.

"The lair it is," he turned to the left where he was on his way to an easier accessible man hole cover.

"Yeah, I've been worried about Splinter," Delaney said, running her finger's though Coral's hair, "I am anxious to see him."

"Leo?" Amity asked from the back of the van, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Delaney looked up to find all four turtles looked down at the floor of the van and tried to avoid the glances from the girls. They didn't say anything and didn't move. In a split-second, they were all like statues.

She put a hand on Michelangelo's shoulder, "Mikey?"

"Carson?" Mikey looked to the front of the van, trying desperately not to look Delaney in the eyes just yet, "Change of plans."

"Yeah?" he looked back.

"Take us to Central Park."

"People are swarming the jogging paths at this time of day," he argued.

"Not where we're going, there's not," Donatello said softly and looked out one of the tinted window, "Turn right on the second street down. I'll tell you the way."

"We have to show and tell you something," Mikey finally looked at Delaney with tears in his eyes.

The sun was still showing the early morning hours, but the group of eight didn't mind the bright sun, or even registered it very much. The small clearing was covered by the older trees and taller bushes. It was well hidden from the rest of the park and the world. Carson had stayed with the van with the now awake Coral inside. Tracie and Rhonda both stayed in the back of the van talking about their next steps since it wasn't their business to even understand what was going on with their rescuers.

A light wind began to blow through the small clearing, blowing the girl's hair as they walked toward their destination. The boys wouldn't say anything to them and they were all too scared to really ask, although they all ready knew. Delaney grabbed Mikey's hand when she saw the small item lying underneath the largest tree. In a way, she knew what was coming. She just didn't want it to be real.

"Splinter," Delaney read off of the headstone and lost grip of Mikey's hand. Her knees hit the soft ground before the headstone, followed closely by her hands, gripping the soft dirt, "No… not now."

She felt Mikey kneel beside her and bowed respectfully at the headstone. Delaney realized what he was doing and slowly bowed her head as well. She felt someone sit beside her. She turned and saw both Amity and Leonardo doing the same. More than likely the other four were behind them, bowing in respect for the fallen master.

After a few moments of silence Delaney lifted her head and felt the tears leave her eyes and fall down her cheeks. Michelangelo put a hand over hers for a small piece of comfort as she stayed still, silent tears now falling freely. It was her turn to be the statue.

Eros was crying into Donatello's neck as she tried to stay strong for her. Callista was being held from behind by Raphael and cupped the side of his face with one hand, feeling it resting on her right shoulder. Amity could only lean toward Leonardo and also had silent tears streaming down her face. Beside Delaney, she was one of the only girls who were really close to him. He helped her through the death of her parents just as he had with Delaney.

Slowly the girls and turtles started to get up from the ground to head home. Eros and Donnie left first, since Eros couldn't stop from sobbing and she didn't want to disturb the others. Raphael and Callista were the next to get up. Callista walked up to the headstone and placed her two fingers to the top.

"I'll miss you Splinter," she said softly and turned to walk back with Raphael to the van.

Amity and Leonardo were both hesitant to leave, but couldn't bare the silence for very much longer. When they got up to leave Michelangelo watched them reach the edge of the trees in the direction of the van.

"We gotta go too, babe," he whispered.

"Okay," she nodded and stood before the headstone, "You were an honorable master and a great father. You will be missed."

"Very much," Mikey nodded and they both returned hand-in-hand to the van.

"But I'm not sleepy," Coral whined and whimpered as Delaney tried to tuck her into her old bed on the first level of the lair, "Where you and Mikey?"

Delaney sighed, "We're going to be in our room-"

"I love the sound of that," he smiled and hugged her.

"Sleep wit' you?" Coral pleaded with them. She truly had the biggest puppy dog pout and eyes Delaney had never seen.

"Oh no…" Delaney had to look away and then looked at Mikey who was holding his own pout, "Mikey…"

"Look at her!" he motioned toward Coral and Delaney shifted her eyes to the ceiling, "How can you not crumble from the cuteness?"

"God, give me strength," she sighed, "Just tonight."

"Yay!" Coral lept from the bed to Mikey's arms.

"I know I'm going to regret this."

"No you're not," he kissed her on the cheek and walked toward hi room. As he walked up the stairs to make Coral comfortable in his room, Delaney went to the living room area of the lair where most of the group was.

"You caved, didn't you?" Amity smirked at her friend's expression. She was sitting against Leo on the couch facing the TV screens.

"Yeah, I caved," she nodded, "To both of them. Mikey doesn't even fight against the all powerful pout."

"Mikey, the straw that broke the camel's back?" Amity smiled wider.

"Yeah," she sighed, "Where's Callista and Raph?"

"Raphael's room in his hammock," Eros answered on her way back from the kitchen, "She's still sleeping off that hit that she got earlier."

"Still say she deserved it," Delaney crossed her arms over her chest.

"I've got it!" Donatello yelled from his computer.

The yelling made both Tracie and Rhonda jump and spill the tea they were drinking over Carson's lap.

"For the love of-" Carson took a deep breath and patted his now soaked suit.

"Got what Donnie?" Mikey asked coming back down the stairs, "Other than Carson wanting to ring your neck, that is."

"Very funny, Mikey," Donatello rolled his eyes.

"But oh so true," Carson whispered to himself as he excused himself to the bathroom to wash some of the tea off.

Mikey walked over to Delaney who had the look of confusion written on her face, "I made a small bed for her near my comic books. She seemed to be drifting off again when I turned on my Justice Force lighted figurine on. It's a good nightlight."

"Okay, back to what I found," Donatello waved all who were present over, "I pulled up the files from the database back at the lab."

"So what does it say?" Leo asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Not too much about us actually," he hinted at him, Leo and Mikey, "but they have a whole lot of info on the girls before and after the mutation."

"Anything on tracing devices?" Amity asked.

"Give me just a second," Donatello typed on the keyboard quickly, "All of you guys do. They're injected under the top layers of skin. Very thin and almost undetectable."

"Ew…" Delaney frowned and looked at her arms, "Please tell me you can deactivate them and get them the heck out of us."

"I am the ultimate genius," he stretched his fingers out and sighed. He tapped on the keyboard and up popped another screen, "Okay, I've got it. Delaney, come here a minute."

"What are you going to do and why don't you use Eros to do it on? She is closer," Delaney hesitantly stepped forward.

"Don't worry, just examining," he grabbed her right arm and looked at it closely. After a few 'hm's and 'uh-huh's he slapped his hand on her wrist and she jerked away.

"I thought you said you were only examining!"

"Then how do I take care of the problem?" he grabbed her arm back again and looked at the spot he hit. There was a bright blue mark under her skin and he smiled, "Okay, you're done. Next?"

"Is the mark going to go away eventually?" Delaney asked as Amity stepped forward.

"Should, in a day or two. Don't worry about it until then," he looked at Amity's arm and stopped it as well, "The color is just the fluid from the device. You'll be okay."

"Great," Delaney looked at the blue splotch under her green skin and frowned, "I bet Callista is going to love this."

"You doing okay, partner?" Carson asked rubbing one of the most concentrated spots of tea on his suit.

"Except for me being mutated and possibly never becoming human again… I'm doing relatively well," she nodded with a small smile and then looked at Mikey who was watching Donatello slap wrists, "Can you be a distraction for me?"

"Why?"

"I need to say a few more things to Splinter. Now that the tracker's off, I can without having to worry about leading someone down here," Delaney gave him a pout and he rolled his eyes.

"You know millions of reasons that I shouldn't," he sighed.

"I know about two million, but this is something I gotta do alone."

"Even if I alert him, you'll still go."

"Yup."

"Fine, go," he sighed and turned away from her, "But you know it's not the best idea in the world."

"We've already been over that. And who ever said that I actually act on my best ideas?"

"Just be careful, I don't need Mikey to kick my ass," he headed toward Michelangelo, knowing that it was against his will.

Delaney smiled and headed up top.

Delaney reached the small clearing as the sun was setting. She hadn't slept all day and she was getting too tired, but she had to do it. Say goodbye for the last time. She knelt infront of the makeshift headstone and bowed in respect once again.

"I'm sorry, sensei," she whispered and sat back up, "I'm sorry I wasn't there… with you and Mikey."

She took a deep breath and just stared at his headstone. She concentrated on his name and on her feeling, trying to pry words from her heart and soul.

"There are so many things I want to tell you. Including this," she looked at her hands, "but all I can think to say to you is that I'm sorry and that I miss you. Without question from the time we met, six years ago, you were and still are the biggest influence on my life."

She thought for a moment, "You were mutated and kept fighting, didn't you? You didn't stop, why should I?"

She got off of the ground and took a deep breath, "I love you master Splinter. I will continue to fight and help those, originally animal or human, that may need it. Sleep and rest in peace and I hope you will be with us."

'Always child…'

Delaney looked over her shoulder where she could have sworn there was a hand resting on her shoulder. It must have been a breeze.

"Goodbye, my sensei… my second father."


	18. Chp 17: Parenthood

**Chapter 17:** Parenthood

The breeze eventually calmed down and Delaney couldn't help but feel a little lost and alone. All the time that she was out there to pay her respects, she felt like someone was there with her. She could sense them, but didn't feel afraid or threatened. They were just there, as if to give her support and to say goodbye in their own way. She had an idea that it was her sensei, but didn't want to give her hopes up. She just wanted to say goodbye. Since the breeze had died down, that other mystery presence was gone. She needed to get up and go home. Her family would be waiting for her.

Delaney finally tore her eyes from the headstone after one more bow of her head and turned toward the sewer entrance to get back to the lair. Carson couldn't hold Mikey back forever and she knew that. Once Mikey found out that she was gone he would probably promise bodily injury to Carson until he told where she went.

Her head was held up to keep her strength up, but her shoulders were slumped forward. She wasn't beaten, but she sure was broken by Splinter's passing.

"Hey dudette," Mikey said softly as he rose from the entrance to the sewer, "How are you holding up?"

She smirked a bit, "Carson told you where I was, huh?"

"He did it almost right after you left."

"He did, did he? I have to teach him how to really cover your partner," she smirked.

"Well," he held out his hand and helped her down, "He actually told me right after he tried to distract me by posing the mecha-godzilla versus mothera debate. Saw right through that one pretty quick."

"Sorry about running off like that, I just had some things to say that was-"

"Only meant for him to hear," Michelangelo finished for her and closed the entrance, "I know."

She grabbed his hand and they both made their way back to the lair.

As soon as they entered the lair they saw Callista fuming in the corner with a new, bright blue patch on her arm. Rhonda was now in the 'hot seat' with Donatello digging through her feathers to find the place to slap. Delaney noted the bump on the back of his head that Callista more than likely made. She could also tell that Rhonda was a little more than perturbed about the turtle rummaging through her feathers. Donatello didn't really seem to notice on the duck-girl's attitude. Delaney pulled Mikey over to Carson and pushed him in the shoulder.

"This is covering for me, huh?" she quirked an eye ridge at him.

"I told you that my decision was against my will," he shrugged and patted Mikey on the back of his shell, "And if I didn't, he said he would drag me kicking and screaming into the dojo that you guys have somewhere hidden in here."

"Sounds about right," Delaney giggled as Mikey hugged her protectively, "By the way, where's Coral?"

"Probably still sleeping," Mikey smiled, "I'll go get her up."

"Thank you," she kissed him on the cheek as he walked up to him room.

"You two are so sweet," Carson crossed his arms over his chest, "No wonder you guys have lasted so long."

"Don't worry, you will find that someday," she grinned.

"Why God?! WHY?!"

"What the-" Carson jumped toward his partner, "Was that Mikey?"

"Yes," Delaney nodded and ran up the stairs with Carson and Leonardo not that far behind her.

"Mikey! Are yo-"

"You have got to be joking me…" Carson said gripping his chest from the run.

In the middle of the room was a near to sobbing Mikey and a very happy looking Coral covered in ripped comics. Both Carson and Leonardo looked at each other and then shook their heads in disbelief. Delaney gave Mikey a sympathetic smile and knelt down to Coral's level.

"Coral, drop the comic you have in your mouth, please," Delaney reached for the book, which Coral play growled at her and leaned away. Delaney frowned and flicked her gently on the nose, "No. Bad."

Coral dropped the comic book from her mouth and just stared at Delaney. The little girl began to breath faster and the tears began to come. Then a full wail screamed from the small body. Mikey jumped from the loud noise from the puppy. Carson and Leonardo both covered the sides of their heads to block out the noise. Mikey tried to comfort Coral to stop her crying, but Delaney stopped him and shook her head. Delaney calmly put a hand on Coral's shoulder and under her chin.

"Coral," she said in a stern voice and looked at her in the face. The little girl was still crying, but the wailing had stopped for the most part, "You're not hurt, are you?"

Coral shook her head a sniffed.

"Okay, than why are you crying?"

"I-I-I…" she whipped at her eyes, "I was playing…"

"Honey," Delaney held the small face in her hands, "These aren't toys. I know you didn't mean to, but they're broken now. These are Mikey's books and them being broken make him sad because now he can't play with them."

"Don't wan' Mikey sad," Coral sniffed again.

"I know something that will make him a lot better," Delaney smiled and sat Coral on her lap to face Mikey, "Now look at Mikey and tell him you're sorry."

"Sowry," Coral pouted at Mikey and leaned forward.

He smiled and rubbed the top of her head, "Apology accepted, little du-"

Suddenly Coral's tongue shot from her mouth and slapped Mikey's face lightly in a lick. She sat back into Delaney with her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth. Mikey sat stunned for a minute, not by the fact that the little girl licked him, but by the fact of how long the tongue on the puppy was. It was nearly as long as her tail.

Delaney almost laughed at his face, but kept it in, "Now we know to ask before we play with anything that isn't ours, don't we?"

Coral nodded with a smile and her tail wagged furiously.

"Did she get any of your valuables?" Carson asked from the side.

"Nope, a lot of what she chewed were new volumes. I'll get them replaced soon and without much trouble," Mikey sighed and pushed some of the comic scraps to the side.

"Okay," Delaney sighed and patted Coral on the nose, "Let's get you set up with Donnie so we can make sure you can get out of the sewers every once in a while with Mikey and I."

"'Kay!" She smiled and hopped off of Delaney's lap and toward Mikey. Mikey stood up and balanced Coral on one of his arms. Delaney walked next to him and Coral ended up taking one of her hands as well. Every other step on the way down the stairs they would pulled up on her arms to make her jump a little higher which made Coral squeal with delight. Carson and Leo looked at the scene in front of them and then looked at one another.

"As strange as it might seem to think of my partner as a mother, they would make really good parents."

"You think that it is any easier for me to think of my baby brother as a father?" Leo shook at the thought, half in play, "And to think of more Mikey's running around in the world…Despite their own little quarks, I think that they would make great parents."

"Still sends shivers down you spine though, doesn't it?" Carson and Leo chuckled lightly with one another. Leo soon split from Carson as he went to stand with Amity who was going over some of the technology that she saw in the lab.

"Finally!" Donnie nearly pushed Rhonda from the chair and pushed one of his magnifying glasses to the top of his head, "No more implants."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Donnie," Delaney sheepishly smiled and gently pushed Coral toward him. Coral hesitantly climbed into the chair looking back at Delaney and Mikey with a little fear. Rhonda walked by the chair grumbling something about fixing her feather rows.

"Great, another one with fur," Donnie sighed and put the magnifying glasses over his eyes. At the mention of fur, Tracie threw a grimace at Donatello and rubbed over a yellow patch under her fur. Coral looked up at him and frowned a little. Donatello tilted his head to the side, "What's the matter?"

"No shots!" she pouted.

"Don't worry, little dudette," Mikey knelt down to her eye level, "It isn't a shot. It's like… like… Uh, a little help here?"

Delaney smiled and rolled her eyes, "It's like a clap on the arm. See?"

She showed Coral her arm where there was a blue blotch of color slowly fading. Coral's tail began to wag and she looked up at Donatello with a smile, "I wan' a gold one!"

"Coral, I…"

"Pwease," Coral added to be polite.

Donatello smirked a little at the little puppy's innocence and rubbed the back of his head, "I'll try my best."

"Can you make it a flower too?" Coral's face turned serious as Donnie began to dig through her fur. Michelangelo laughed as Donatello's head dropped.

Carson walked next to his partner and leaned toward her, "So, you handled the situation with her very well. You have any kids you didn't know about?"

"Yeah Carson, they all just popped out when I wasn't looking," Delaney rolled her eyes, "My mom was a professional nanny. I learned a lot of it from her when I was younger."

"Was she like one of those 'super nanny's?"

"Kind of, yeah," she smiled at the memory of her mother, "Besides, I'm in love with a turtle with a mind of a seven year old."

Both she and Carson looked at Mikey and Coral- who had just finished getting her 'gold flower'- as they raced each other to the stairs to get some action figures out of Mikey's room to play with.

"I see your point," he nodded and looked at the purple wearing turtle that had turned back to his computer screen happy to be able to type away at more research, "Do you think that Donnie can find a cure for you girls?"

"If anyone can, it's Donnie," Delaney smiled and looked up at Mikey's room where Coral was carrying out a small stuffed teddy bear. She walked it down the stairs as if it was her own little pet.

"Come on, Sgt. Fluffy," she called back to the bear.

"That's sweet," Carson beamed at the little girl, "She's already named it."

"Actually, Mikey named it," Delaney laughed at Carson's expression.

Michelangelo came back down the stairs and looked a little disappointed. He came over and put his chin on Delaney's shoulder and sighed. She stroked his cheek lightly, "I thought that you and Coral wanted to play with your action figures."

"We were, but she saw Sgt. Fluffy and wanted to play with him," he looked over at the bear longingly, "I just hope she doesn't have him play dress up."

"The Sergeant is a strong solider," Delaney turned around and patted him on the back, "Donnie looks like he's preoccupied with the research again."

Michelangelo looked over at his brother, "In other words, he'll be at the computer for another four hours analyzing… which means more you and me time."

Delaney giggled as he kissed her on the neck, "Sounds good."

"Guys, I'm right here," Carson complained and put his fingers in his ears and began walking to the couch singing, "La, la, la, la…"

Coral saw him and began following him with Sgt. Fluffy singing the same thing.

"You want to spar for a little bit?" Michelangelo suggested.

"Sure," Delaney nodded as they walked toward the dojo.

"Do you know what they did to you overall?" he asked on the way.

"Just the mutation, but it could have been more seeing as I don't remember when they put the tracker in my arm," Delaney walked in and began to stretch out, "I just hope I can get into the swing of things as far as ninjitsu goes."

After an hour, a few falls directly on her face and another dozen falling onto her shell and unable to get up without help, Delaney couldn't help but feel a little discouraged, "And to think… I almost had that spin kick down before I got mutated."

"I know," he nodded and steadied her from one of her awkward kicks, "But you'll get it again. Now try another front kick and then two to the side."

Delaney took a deep breath and steadied herself before she kicked forward and then began to topple as she kicked to the side, "Whoa!"

She once again fell straight forward onto her face and decided to stay down for a moment or two. Mikey knelt down next to her and turned his head slightly to see her better.

"Have you caught up with your mind yet?" he put a tender hand on her shell, "You okay, honey?"

"My balance and coordination is all off from the new shell. I guess the majority off all I can do right now is walk and run, but that's about it," she looked over her shoulder at the offending shell, "I gotta relearn everything from scratch."

"You mean that you're as bad as Eros?" he play gasped and helped her from the floor.

Delaney paused for a minute and looked out toward the hallway outside the lair, "I have an idea."

"What's that?" he kicked at Delaney and she blocked with her forearm, "At least your reflexes are intact."

"What if we invite Eros and Callista to train with Amity and I?"

"Callista's been training with Raph on and off for the past five years. And Eros doesn't seem like much of a fighter."

"I know, but since I- and Amity more than likely- will need to relearn most of our techniques anyway, why not let everyone in on the fun?"

"You're planning on going back, aren't you?" he asked with a straight face.

"That's besides the point," she waved her hands to shoo his worries away, "Either way, Kanin will come after us and I want all of us to be prepared when she does."

He sighed heavily and looked at the ceiling, "Weapon training too?"

"Wouldn't hurt."

"I think that it's a great idea," a voice said from the doorframe. Delaney and Mikey looked over at Eros who was holding one of Coral's hands. Coral's eyes were filled with tears and her other arm holding tight to Fluffy, "Sorry to intrude, but she didn't know where you two were."

Coral rubbed at her eyes with Sgt. Fluffy and ran toward Delaney and Mikey. She attached herself to Delaney's leg and rubbed her face against it.

Eros giggled and then turned to Michelangelo, "I would love to start to learn ninjitsu. I've always been curious about it since we first came down here. When can we start?"

"You think that you can take it?" Delaney asked with her eye ridge quirked.

"I think so."

"I hope so," Mikey rubbed the back of his head.

Delaney rubbed the top of Coral's head which made the puppy look up at her and step way from her leg a little bit, "Are you okay now?"

Coral nodded, "Whacha' doin'?"

"We're practicing some fighting to protect you and the others," Delaney rubbed her head affectionately which made Coral giggle, "I'm not very good right now and I have to relearn everything."

"You forget it?" she asked and hugged Sgt. Fluffy to her small chest.

"Kind of," Delaney laughed and playfully poked at Coral's small nose, "You're so adorable, you know that?"

"I a cutie!" she smiled.

"I just hope that my kids will be that adorable," Mikey said with a grin.

"_Our_ kids will be," Delaney smirked at the light blush on Mikey's cheeks.

"Oh! Speaking of," Eros grinned and put her hands behind her back, "Donnie's found something very interesting on the computer about us."

"Why do I feel kind of scared by that look?" Mikey pointed to Eros and then scooted closer to Delaney.

"I thought I was the only one," Delaney looked at Eros with a worried expression.

"Come on, he's getting everyone around the glow of his computer screen," she turned around and began to walk back toward the front room.

"I'm not sure if I want to know now," Mikey looked at Delaney.

She sighed and shook her head, "Don't really have a choice, do we?"

"Okay, but if I have to go back over there, I get to hold Coral for comfort," Mikey grabbed up Coral and held her close.

She smiled and laughed in his arms, "What about me?"

"You get to hold Sgt. Fluffy," he nodded toward the bear in her arms, "He'll protect both of us."

"'Kay," she nodded and squeezed the bear to her as Mikey squeezed her to him. Delaney smiled at the two of them as they walked toward Donnie's computer.

Once they arrived they found every pair around Donatello's computer. Raph and Callista were toward the back leaning against some of his other computer equipment, and Leo and Amity were off to the side as Donatello typed away. Eros sat at the end of the desk where Donatello was working. Delaney and Mikey stood just to the side of Raph and Callista waiting for him to unveil the secret.

Donatello turned around in his chair and sighed, "Now that everybody is here, we can start. I fi- Mikey, why are you squeezing poor Coral to death?"

"I'm o-tay," she giggled from his arms.

"Your girlfriend scared me," he pointed quickly to Eros and then put his arms back around Coral.

Donatello rolled his eyes and began again, "I finally broke into the lab's mainframe and found the files pertaining to the girls and their mutations while they were there. They have vitals and anything that would be out of the norm from their other mutations. On my last search through one of the files I found something very intriguing."

"I'm guessing it had nothing to do with you since you aren't concerned about it," Delaney quirked an eyebrow at him.

"No, but it still does make me a happy turtle," he pushed a few numbers on the keyboard and transferred the picture to the television screens.

There on the screen in front of everyone was a small survey looking piece of information. All the information on the screen varied from the skin color and what it had changed from to any other distinct characteristics. Then at the end of the page on the screen was one bullet that shocked everyone.

"One of us is pregnant!?" Delaney yelled at the screen and then turned to Donatello, "Who's file is that?"

"I originally thought yours since you two were getting married and all," Eros laughed lightly and then stared straight at Mikey whose face had turned to the brightest red.

"I told you I'm waiting until marriage," Delaney frowned, "And you just told me that it wasn't me in a round about way! So, that leaves two, seeing as it doesn't look like it's you or Donatello."

"That is correct," Donatello smirked.

Immediately all heads turned to Callista and Raphael who looked at everybody and then shook their heads, "You have got to be joking."

"I'm no where ready for kids yet," Raph waved his arms in front of himself, "And why'd you guys immediately think that it's me and Callista?"

"It was just a guess, you know," Delaney crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's not them," Donatello shook his head and looked directly at Leonardo and Amity.

"Amity?" Delaney's eyes grew in surprise.

Amity put a hand to her lower stomach and then looked at Donatello, "Are you sure?"

"Positive according to the data, but I will run some tests to know for sure, if you don't mind."

"I'm going to be an uncle?" Mikey perked up with a smile, "Congratulations Leo! Hey- where did Leo go?"

Everyone's eyes shifted from the surprised Amity to Leonardo sprawled out on the floor of the lair.

"He was the last one I pegged as a fainter," Mikey said and nudged Delaney in the side.

"Okay, help me get the soon to be daddy off of the floor," Raph sighed and headed over to help his fallen brother.

Amity moved to the side as Mikey handed over Coral to Delaney to help Raph. Delaney stood next to her with Coral on one hip opposite her still speechless friend.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am," she smiled and looked up at Delaney, "Strangely… I feel perfect."


	19. Chp 18: Training Begins Anew

Chapter 18: Training Begins Anew

The faint light coming off of the televisions in the front room was almost hypnotizing as the credits rolled from the last movie. Delaney repositioned herself against Mikey and made sure not to bother Coral who was nestled between them. She reached for the remote and found that Mikey had fallen asleep yet again before the movie was over. She had noticed that Coral had fallen asleep half way through the climax of the movie and now kicked every once in a while as she dreamed. Delaney smiled and carefully got up and turned off the television. She quickly put the blanket they were all using over both Coral and Mikey. Coral's whimpers and kicking died down and she settled closer to Mikey.

"You're right. He's just like a big kid," Carson said softly from the loveseat. She nodded and watched him yawn and stretch out.

"Maybe you should think about going home to get some sleep, partner," she laughed quietly and patted him on the back, "You have to actually go in tomorrow and get going on the Karten case again."

"Everybody going to be okay here?" he picked up his coat and then nodded to Amity slowly descending down the stairs.

"Eventually everything will calm down around here. It's been going good this long without you here, I think we will all survive," Delaney sighed and shook his hand before he left.

"Evening Delaney," Amity greeted and headed for the kitchen. Delaney checked that Mikey was asleep and followed her in, "Carson going home finally? It's close to eleven-thirty."

"Yeah, the poor guy fell asleep on our loveseat," Delaney leaned back against the counter top, "And the really bad thing… I haven't fallen asleep yet."

"That isn't good, Delaney. We all need our sleep."

"I was so tired earlier, but now I just can't fall asleep. How are you doing, by the way? Feeling any morning sickness yet?"

"No," she smirked and looked up towards her and Leo's room, "Where is everybody anyway? It seems so empty."

"Cal and Eros are with their guys out somewhere. Raph said something about a late night movie and Eros wanted to drive around in the sewer glider with Donnie until she fell asleep. Tracie and Rhonda were fighting over which rooms they wanted. You know, our old rooms?"

"What is Raph doing taking Cal above ground?" Amity asked.

"The trackers are off. They should be just fine. Besides, neither Raph or Cal are not ones to follow rules."

"Don't we all know that?" Amity smiled and got some tea bags ready, "Tea?"

"Sure," she shrugged, "Never really been a big tea person, but I haven't had it in a while."

"Good," she put the water in the pot and stood next to Delaney, "Would you mind being an ear to listen too?"

"Never do I mind that if I can help a friend," she smiled and hopped up to sit on the counter, almost falling off from her shell, "Is this about Leo and how he's taking it?"

"I don't know yet," Amity shook her head slowly, "The last time that I checked, he was still out cold from the news."

"Oh, don't worry," Delaney grinned, "He'll be ecstatic."

"I hope so," she paused, "Am I ready to be a mother?"

"You've been one to me for years," she chuckled, "You'll be a wonderful mother and Leo will be a great father. No one is more diligent about things than you two. He just needs to recover from the shock and you need to stop over analyzing."

"I think that she's right," Leonardo walked into the kitchen with a hand on his head, "Coral is looking for you and Mikey won't wake up. I'm kind of surprised you didn't hear her whimpering and crying."

"He'll wake up as soon as I get done with him," Delaney nodded and smiled at Amity, "Rain check on the tea. It looks like I'm being paged. Come and find me if you still need an ear."

"Sure," Amity smiled back and watcher her leave. Leo sat down and looked up at her, "How's your head?"

"Still spinning," he confessed, "I just can't believe that we are going to be parents. Did Donnie say anything else after the big announcement?"

"He did some extra tests and confirmed it," she looked down and then got the tea ready, "I guess all of those commercials were right."

"What's that?" Leonardo got the cups out for the tea and set them on the table.

"Once is all it takes," she smiled as she poured them each a cup. He smirked and sipped on his, "So now what happens, Leo?"

"What do you mean?" he looked at her, "I keep you as comfortable as I can until the baby arrives and life continues on."

"You're okay with the baby?"

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it softly, "I'm surprised? Yes. I'm worried? A little, yeah. Do I regret it? Never. And I am ecstatic. Especially to know that you are going to be there with me all the way through."

Amity's smile grew and she nearly jumped from her chair and hugged Leo around the neck, "I love you, Leo."

"Love you too, Amity," he hugged her close, "Come on, let's get some sleep. You need it more than ever."

"You're going to baby me now, aren't you?"

"I haven't even begun," he stood up and pushed his hand toward her.

"What about the tea?" she took his hand, but nodded toward the two cups and teapot.

"We'll get it in the morning," he wrapped an arm around her, trying to get used to the new shape.

Outside the kitchen Delaney had Coral balanced on one hip and the little girl's sleeping top half draped over her shoulder. Mikey was still fighting waking up to go to bed.

"Mikey, come on…" Delaney hissed at him and then hit him upside the head.

"Ow!" he opened an eye, "Morning?"

"Not yet," Delaney sighed and pulled at his arm, "Come on, time for bed."

"But I was already asleep…" Mikey whined as he got up and sleepily trudged toward the stairs. He saw Leo and Amity at the foot of the stairs and smiled, "Since you probably didn't hear it earlier, bro- Congratulations on the baby. And good night."

"Thanks Mikey," Leo patted his brother on the shell as he passed by.

"Good night, you two," Delaney nodded as she followed Mikey with the sleeping Coral weighing her down.

On their way up to Leo's room, Amity lightly chuckled to herself.

"What?" Leonardo opened the door for her first.

"How is it that I am the one that got pregnant first and Delaney is the one first of kid duty?" she smiled at him as she pulled him into the room after her.

"Delaney?"

"Hm?" Delaney frowned at the intrusion to her wonderful dreams, "Wha…?"

"Come on, honey," Mikey shook her side, "Time to get to training."

"Uh…" she sat up and looked at him, "How can you be so bright and cheery every morning?"

"It's one of my talents, dear," he grinned and rubbed the top of her head, "Just like one of yours happens to be burning water."

"I was trying to make some mac and cheese and you know it," she growled at him and then stretched deciding it was too early in the morning to get into any real arguments, "How'd Coral sleep?"

"Check yourself," he nodded to her side where Coral was totally wrapped up in sheets and plastered against the wall, "She's a good little dudette."

"Yeah," Delaney nodded and hoped off the loft bed, "You think that she's happier this way?"

"Compared to what?"

"Compared to being just a puppy," she held his hand as they walked to the dojo, "I mean, that's a pretty plush life when you think about it. Everything is given to you and your comfy for the rest of you life. Being a mutant could be very confusing compared to that."

"Yeah, but think of everything she has to look forward to," he checked to make sure she had both sets of nunchakus on his belt, "I mean, if I was still a turtle, I doubt that we'd be together and about ready to get married, right? Being a mutant can be difficult, but it has personally changed my life for the better."

"Hey guys," Eros came up from behind with a sleepy and pissed off looking Callista in tow, "We going to start our training today, too?"

"We'll see," Mikey said.

"We better. Because if I got up for nothing…" she shook her fist at Eros for waking her up at such an ungodly hour.

The group of four walked into the dojo where Leo was already warming up and Amity sat off to the side as she tried to stretch out before training.

"Surprised to see you out here, mother to be," Callista smirked at Amity.

"Against better reason," Leo said concentrating on his stance and katana angle.

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean that I can't train," she rolled her eyes at Leo and then turned back to her friends, "I'm surprised to see both Callista and Eros in here with out Don or Raph."

"They're coming, just running a little late," Eros nodded and sat next to Amity, "We're going to train with you all and possibly learn some weapon while we're at it."

"What?!" Leo almost dropped his katanas.

"I mean, with your approval of course," Eros added with a grin.

"It was just an idea, Leo," Delaney walked next to Eros and stretched out his arms, "Since Amity and I have to learn from scratch, night as well get them lessons on how to defend themselves."

"This isn't some game."

"I never said it was," she frowned, "I am one hundred percent serious here, Leo. That lab is a very big threat and we all need to be prepared for the worst. Besides the fact that at one point or another we have to go back and get the rest of the people and mutants out of there and away from Kanin. Including Sandra."

"I know… it's just that…" he paused and looked at Amity for some kind of help, "I…"

"Look Leo," Callista sighed and pulled Eros to her side, "This one got me up this morning and Raph- whenever he decides to get his tail in here- thought that it was a good skill to have. Please don't tell me I got up for nothing."

"I'm sorry," Leo sighed, "I just don't think that I can teach it like… like Splinter. I don't want to fail you all before you even begin."

Amity stood up and put a hand on his shoulder with an encouraging smile, "You will never know until you try. And even if it may take a while to perfect training, you can never fail unless you never try."

"Something Splinter said to you?" he asked and looked down at her.

"Yeah," she nodded, "And I think that they deserve the right for you to try."

"Good, because I really didn't want to kick anybody's ass this morning," Callista yawned. She jumped a little as she felt arms wrap around her from behind.

"Speak for yourself," Raph smirked behind her, "I think that'd be damn sexy."

"Please don't make us puke," Delaney said as Mikey did a gagging motion behind her. Donatello walked in after Raph and rolled his eyes.

"Okay Delaney, since this seems to be your idea," Leonardo motioned Amity to step back, "You want to show them how to spar?"

"Just take it easy on me. I'm still unbalanced."

"They don't take it easy on you out there," he lunged forward and made a kick to her head which she blocked with her forearm, "Good. Now go on the offensive."

Delaney took a deep breath and jumped forward to deliver a strong kick toward Leo's midsection. Surprisingly, she didn't trip. Didn't fumble. She was perfectly balanced. Leo began to fight back harder to make her step up in her moves. Mikey's head tilted to the side in thought and watched Delaney closely.

"Hon, how'd you get so good overnight?" he called out to her as she ducked from one of his high kicks, "Last night you were falling on your tail."

"Your guess is as good as mine, dear," she flipped backwards from Leo and grabbed one of the weapons from the all. Leonardo took out his katanas and ran after her. She turned just in time to catch his katanas within the 2 ½ foot chain of the weapon she pulled. She held on to part of the chain and the two foot stick at the other end of the chain. She tried to avoid the small ball of spikes that was swinging between her and Leo.

"The chigiriki," Leo said off hand, "Interesting choice."

"Been looking at it on and off lately," she smirked and watched as Leo's eyes followed the ball of spikes, "Draw, Leo?"

"For now," he nodded and smirked back. They both stepped back from one another and bowed to each other, "I'm curious, how did you get balanced?"

" I don't know. Like Mikey said, I was falling on my tail yesterday when I was sparing with him," she said off hand as she looked over the chigiriki. She pulled on the end of the stick and watched the chain fit into it and the weapon became a mace with the ball of spikes sitting at the top of the stick, "Very nice."

"Any guesses on how she got so good, Don?" Mikey turned to him.

Donatello watched the spar closely and tried to figure out the solution to the same problem, "I have a theory."

"Well…" Mikey rolled his eyes.

"Eros, come here for a minute," Don held out his hand for her and led her to one of the corners of the mat, "Stay right here."

"Okay…" she quirked an eye ridge at him, but let him do what he needed to.

"Don…" Delaney looked at him and then at Eros cautiously.

"Just trust me," he said slowly and then hit a button on the side wall. Eros barely saw it coming and quickly jumped back and flipped over the dummy's weapon with what looked like ease. She landed in a crouched position on the floor and frowned over at Donatello.

"I thought so," he nodded and smiled sheepishly at Eros, "Sorry, sweetheart."

"Uh-huh," she dusted herself off.

"Everybody knows that when you four were mutated your DNA merged with ours," Donatello began to explain, "In a way you also gained our anatomy and muscle memory. Including moves and reflexes as for ninjitsu goes."

"But why did it wait to get here?" Delaney swung the chigiriki mace at her side, "I was falling on my face yesterday when I could have been doing some serious training."

"It took you a couple of hours to know how to walk again, right?"

Delaney nodded.

"It just took you longer to get your ninjitsu back," he motioned with his hands, "Besides, your skills and muscle memory is different from Mikey's. The two different skills were fighting with each other to assert dominance. That's why you were so clumsy with it yesterday."

"Gotcha'," Delaney nodded, "And Eros did it off the bat on her first try because she never had any ninjitsu training and her muscles just reacted from your training, right?"

"Exactly," he nodded, "So everything should be instinct. But we need to fine tune everything and find what is comfortable for everyone. Besides, everybody needs to pick a weapon and stick to it."

"I like this," Delaney smiled at the chigiriki and kept experimenting with the chain and making it come in and out of the stick portion. She smiled whenever the weapon looked like a mace, "But I'll still retain nunchakus, right?"

"You should," Don nodded.

"Good," Delaney looked at Callista, "How about it, Cal? What calls to you?"

Callista yawned and paced along the weapon wall staring at all her choices. She stopped toward the end where Raph's extra pair of sais laid next to a few different sharp objects. She looked at the knife to the left of the sais and weighed it in her hand, "What's this?"

"A tanto," Leonardo nodded at it, "It's a good multipurpose tool too. Not just a weapon."

"And this one?" she held up what looked like a small sickle combined with a long chain and a small weight at the other end of the chain.

"Should know you would go with the mean weapons," Raph smirked at her. She smirked back and spun the small weight by her hip.

That's a Kusari-gama," Leo squinted a little, "And yes, it does get a bit messy."

"I like messy," Callista grinned and held on to both weapons.

"Oh! I like this one," Eros squealed and headed toward the wall where two iron fans were hanging above some more swords. She took them off and opened them to find sharp edges instead of colorful paper, "Heavy and deadly. So noted."

"They're called Tessens, Eros."

"Tessen… hm, couldn't they have just stuck with fan?"

"Different culture, different name," Donatello sighed and hit his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Amity?" Delaney turned to her unsure friend.

"Knowing not only my concerns, but Leo's as well," Amity looked back at Leo and then at the wall, "I'm going to stick to katanas for close range, but I want something I can used from afar too."

"What about the long bow?" Donatello looked at the opposite end of the wall at the bow, "Kunoichi were proficient at them back in Japan."

"Kunoichi?" Eros tilted her head.

"Female ninjas," Delaney smiled, "Whatcha' think, Amity?"

"Sounds like a good idea," she nodded, "And it will keep Leo off my shell at least a little bit."

"Okay boys, we got out gear," Delaney smiled and held her chigiriki in both hands, "When do we get started?"

"Mikeyyyy!" a small scream erupted from upstairs.

"Sounds like someone's up," Callista smiled.

Michelangelo looked toward Delaney with a pout, "Um…"

Delaney shook her head and held a hand out to him, "Oh no. She's calling to you. You can get her and bring her down to watch, but I'm not going to baby her."

Mikey sighed and went up to get Coral out of bed.

"Okay, so everybody but Mikey- let's start with some breathing exercises," Leo sat on the ground in a lotus position waiting for the others to join him.


	20. Chp 19: Planning Ahead

**A/N:** Hello to all of you loyal readers. And when I say loyal, I mean _LOYAL_. I mean, it has been over a year since I have worked on this fiction. I am sorry for the long delay, but fear not. I have promised myself that I will finish this fiction before I work on the others that I have in the back of my mind. I will still be updating my labyrinth fanficton, because it is done, I just have to upload the chapters. But other than that, just this one. I have just two more chapters to go on this one, give or take, so please enjoy this one. Again, I apologise for the delay and thanks for all the reviews and favs during my absence. Enjoy!

**Chapter 19**: Planning Ahead

As Mikey delivered his final kick toward Delaney, she blocked it once again and spun him to the ground. Coral barked from the side of the dojo in Amity's arms. Amity was trying her hand in puppy/kid duty while Delaney tried to get some more sparing in after their training with the rest of the group earlier. Coral was giving Amity what she considered a crash course in child care and she was doing pretty well considering. Delaney straddled over Mikey and sat on his stomach after she got him to the ground.

"I win," she smiled down at him and tapped him on the edge of his beak.

"I let you," he narrowed his eyes at her.

"You… are a sore loser, honey," she got up and helped him from the floor, "Now what?"

"I'm thinking of some good tube time with my two favorite girls," Mikey rubbed his hands together and looked at Delaney and then over at Coral who was on her back looking up at Amity.

"Amity, have you seen Carson yet today?" Delaney wiped her brow and arms with one of the towels they kept in the dojo and threw another one at Mikey.

"Not yet," she began to tickle Coral on her stomach. Coral giggled and kicked her feet to try to get Amity to stop.

"Hm," Delaney thought to herself, "I hate it when he leaves me in the dark about cases. Do you think that they'll be able to find anything in the lab today?"

"Doubtful, babe," Mikey put a hand on her shoulder, "They don't really give up that easy. You know, those mad, evil genius kind of scientists. They're really good at hiding their 'playing God' experiments. Thankfully this one doesn't have some dinosaur super mutant about ready to tear the upper halves of our bodies off."

"Right," Delaney sighed with a raised eyebrow at Mikey as Coral finally noticed that they were done sparing, slipped from Amity and jumped toward Delaney.

"'Laney!"

"Hey there, baby girl," Delaney greeted as Coral jumped right in front of her and rubbed the top of her head. Coral beamed up at her and enjoyed the attention.

"Up please?" she asked with a wag of her small tail. Delaney picked up the little puppy and swung her around in a tight circle, "Again!"

Mikey and Amity watched Delaney swing the little puppy in circle on the training mat. Mikey sighed and smile, "I can't wait."

"For what?"

"Until Delaney and me have some kids of our own. I mean, Coral is attached to us and vice-versa, but to have a kid that's biologically attached, to know you're going to be a parent. I can't wait for that. You and Leo are lucky to be the first in the lair."

"Know it or not Mikey, you are already a parent," Amity laughed as Coral almost threw both her and Delaney off in another one of their spins, "She may not be biologically linked, but she fell into your laps and have connected with you on that level that only you and her can understand. Despite her meeting Sandra first in the compound, she's probably all ready imprinted on you two as her parental figures since you two took to her and cared for her."

"I have no idea on being a dad! I need that prep period where Delaney is either pregnant or we're taking care of an egg or what ever. I have no mandatory prep period!" Mikey rubbed his head and stared at the ceiling.

"Neither did Splinter," Amity said quietly and gained Mikey's attention, "And you four guys turned out great. And Coral will turn out to be a wonderful young lady one day. Because of you and Delaney."

Mikey thought to himself for a few seconds and smiled to himself. He looked up at Amity and patted her on the shoulder, "Thanks, Amity."

"No problem, Mike."

"But I still want some that are the product of Delaney and I."

"You will someday."

Delaney stopped spinning and set Coral down. Coral was about to ask for another go around when Mikey flipped her over his shoulder. The small puppy laughed and giggled in Mikey's arms as he took his turn to spin in circles and flipped her to face him. He nuzzled the little puppy's nose with his beak and Coral seemed to glow in happiness. Mikey carried the little girl out of the dojo and toward the living room where he knew he had a few toys that he didn't mind being chewed or slobbered on and a new DVD with their names on it.

"That little one is absolutely going to love roller coasters when she gets older," Delaney said with a sad smile, not really knowing if Coral will get the chance to go on any roller coasters in her life time.

"He's going to make a great father one day," Amity said as she came up beside Delaney.

Delaney smiled and shrugged as she put some of the weapons back on the wall, "I knew that. I just find it amazing that he made her his best friend within minutes of meeting her."

"She's a friendly little girl. I think that would happen with anyone."

"I guess so," Delaney shrugged and looked at Amity, "Any movement, yet?"

"I am only a couple of months, if even that," Amity huffed, "Give it time."

"That's my future nephew or niece in there," Delaney patted her on the stomach, "And you want me to be calm? Good luck, sister."

"Oh ha, ha," Amity rolled her eyes.

"Thought of any names yet?" Delaney threw the used towels in a basket in the corner of the dojo.

"Not too many," Amity shrugged, "I don't think that we are going to get too elaborate on them."

"They don't need to be elaborate," Delaney rolled her eyes and poked Amity in the side just a little as they walked out of the dojo, "Come on… what have you got in mind?"

"Something like Jacob or Jason," Amity smiled and looked at her friend, "I like 'j' names."

"What about for a girl?" Delaney asked.

"I would love one, but something tells me that this one is a boy," Amity rubbed her stomach.

"Wishful thinking, or mother's intuition?" Delaney chuckled.

"Maybe a bit of both," Amity chuckled with her.

Delaney took a look over at the living room area where Mikey was laying out on the couch and Coral laying in front of him with Sgt. Fluffy yet again in her arms. Delaney looked back at Amity and nodded toward the television screens that was now screening 'coming to theater' previews.

"Did you want to watch the movie with us?" she offered, "There is more than enough room."

"Thanks, but I think I am going to help Leonardo with some of the plans for the next training sessions," she looked at the doorway of Leo's room, "Hopefully this next time he won't make me sit out the last sparing match."

"Yeah, you probably have better luck getting me to calm down about your little one to come," Delaney chuckled again and hugged her friend before she hobbled up the stairs.

Delaney turned back to head to the couch when her face was suddenly full of fur. She jumped back quickly and saw Tracie with Klunk in her hands stretched out toward Delaney. Klunk looked mildly annoyed by the fox hybrid and meowed loudly.

"Tracie?" Delaney looked from Klunk to Tracie.

"I think you lost this?" she handed her Klunk who sniffed Delaney suspiciously and then meowed and rubbed his head against her plastron.

"Klunk! And where have you been hiding?" Delaney smiled and rubbed the top on his head with her free hand. He purred loudly and tried to settle into her arm.

"I found him under my bed while I was looking for a new shirt to wear," Tracie explained with her arms crossed over her chest, "I guess he's been in there the last couple of days to escape from the puppy."

"He might have been. Poor guy, I didn't even realize that it might bug him with bringing Coral home."

"Just keep him out of my room," Tracie waved the situation off and walked back toward the room she's claimed as her own, "I am not a cat person."

"Apparently," Delaney said and looked down at Klunk in her arms, "Come on, let's get you introduced to Coral. You may be able to get back into Mikey's room and sleep again."

Klunk answered with a small meow. Delaney walked around the couch with Klunk in her arms and both Mikey and Coral looked up when she stood in front of them.

"Klunk! Where have you been, little dude?" Mikey paused the movie and petted Klunk on the head from his place on the couch.

"Kitty!" Coral laughed and pointed at Klunk.

Klunk turned his head away from Coral a little at first. Coral pouted and looked at Mikey.

"Kitty doesn't like me…"

"Klunk is just a little jealous," Delaney knelt down next to Coral with Klunk in her arms, "He was the one to get our attention before you came here. He just needs to learn how to share now."

"It will just take a little time for him to get used to you, dudette," Mikey took Coral's hand and gently ran it over Klunk's back. It took Coral's paw a few passes before Klunk began to purr.

"See?" Delaney smiled as Coral's eyes lit up, "You just got to be gentle with him. He will warm up to you."

Klunk jumped from Delaney's arms to the couch and then settled on the back of the couch and began to clean his paws.

"Well, that's that for now," Mikey smiled and hugged Coral to him. She laughed and hugged Sgt. Fluffy close to her. Delaney sat on the floor in front of the couch as Mikey started the movie again. Delaney liked the little dynamic that she and Mikey had built with Coral.

Toward the ending of the movie the walls opened and Carson entered the lair with a folder under his arm. With Coral and Mikey still entranced in the movie Delaney got up and met him as he came by the couch.

"And what have you got there, partner?" Delaney asked and pointed at the folder with what looked like a few different documents in it.

"And hello to you too," Carson said with a smirk. He looked over the couch to see Mikey and Coral glued to the TV, "Hey Mike. Hello Coral."

"Hey Carson," Mikey said with a wave of his hand at him, eyes never leaving the screen while Coral shushed them both.

Carson turned to the table and nodded his head toward it, "You going to join me?"

"Is it that bad that I have to sit down?" Delaney frowned and sat a the table with her partner as he laid out the files and pictures. She looked over all the documents and searched for the search warrant of the facility, "What have you guys found at the lab?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Delaney looked up at her partner with a bit of fury behind her eyes, "How could there be nothing?"

"We don't have a witness or physical evidence to take them in or have a complete search warrant."

"Physical evidence?" Delaney pointed to herself.

"And here is the problem with that one," Carson pulled out a few pages of paper.

"What's that?"

"Your missing person report," Carson looked at the front page instead of her, "I can't convince them that your alive and living in the sewers as a mutated turtle. Not unless you come up and prove it to them. And even then… it will take some good convincing."

"It didn't take you long to believe me."

"I'm your partner," Carson shrugged and pulled out a newspaper article of Delaney's disappearance on the front page, "People won't see the truth if they don't want to believe it, you know that. As far as the world knows you are missing and presumed dead. You're good, Delaney. But even luck and skill goes only so far."

Delaney leaned back and let out a breath of frustration, "I may have to set up a new plan then. We may have to rush the lab after all."

"You know that has some huge risks."

"Of course I do," Delaney frowned and stared down her partner, "But so did rushing the Burgand warehouse and the one before that, and the lair of the rapist before that."

"But if they catch you again," Carson shook his head, "It's not a possibility. You would really be dead at that point."

"If the department can't do anything legally to get the evidence, I will have to at least get Sandra out. I may not be able to go public at the moment, but she will be able to."

"What about showing yourself to chief?" Carson asked with a sliver of hope, "Out of anyone else in the department, chief has got to believe you just like I had. I mean you two were- are close."

"Doubtful," Delaney shook her head, "As you said, I'm presumed dead. We're close like family. How would you like it if a mutant came up and told you that it was actually a woman from your unit that has been like a daughter to you?"

"I don't think I'd take it well…"

"Point," Delaney said sadly, "We don't have much of a choice."

"You do too," Mikey stood a few feet from the table.

"How long have you been standing there?" Delaney asked and leaned back a little in her chair.

"Long enough," Mikey checked over his shoulder to see Coral on the couch with Sgt. Fluffy and Klunk. He sat next to Delaney, "We will go to the compound. Leo, Raph, Donny and I. We will get Sandra out along with the other hybrids. You girls stay here and stay safe."

"No," Delaney shook her head, "Don't you dare do this again. You remember how it turned out last time?"

Mikey turned his head away from a moment.

"Good, you do," she held his face in her hands and turned him back to her, "I am not going to sit by and hope for you to come home safe and sound. I did that once and I will never do it again. I have skill and I will fight beside you, or we hide together. But neither one of us will do that. We don't know how to hide for too long."

Mikey smiled a little and nodded before he paused, "What about Coral?"

Delaney's face fell. She only thought of it a few times before and didn't really want to think of it after that. Who will take care of her if something was going to happen?

"I will watch over her," Tracie stood behind Carson.

The whole table turned to her. Delaney stood up, "What?"

"The little girl and I have something in common," Tracie looked at the couch and then back at Delaney, "We didn't ask for this. Part humanity, part animal… but there are so little of us. We have to stick together. I will watch and protect her. We will be safe here."

"Delaney?" Mikey asked from the table to gauge her reaction.

Delaney took a deep breath and looked at the fox woman, "If I promise her to you and something does happen to us, you will take care of her. You will love her. And you will give her the best life that you can."

"I will," Tracie nodded, "I promise."

"But before I do, I want to know why," Delaney said and stared her down.

"Delaney," Carson frowned at his partner, but Mikey stopped him from getting up from his seat.

"I need to know," Delaney stepped up to Tracie, "Because before now you only had to care for yourself and would do anything for yourself. I need to know why you would do anything now for _her_."

"Because I owe you all my life and freedom," Tracie shrugged as if it was a lame excuse, "I may have to be in this body for the rest of my life, but I don't have to be alone anymore. I'm not stuck in a cage, I'm free. It may not be much, but it's all I have. And it's something I never had before between the experiment that turned me into this and the cage of prostitution. I owe that to you all. So I will take care of her. And hopefully through it I will learn to love. You have learned that many times over when I never had. Maybe I will as well."

Delaney paused and looked over Tracie's body language and eyes to make sure she was true in her words, "If we aren't back within forty-eight hours, we're not coming back at all. Take care of her, and when she is old enough, tell her the truth. She is worth it."

"Yes," Tracie nodded.

Delaney turned from the table and toward the stairs.

Mikey followed her with his eyes, "Where are you going now?"

"To ask Leo to come down and talk about the plan to infiltrate the lab," Delaney said over her shoulder, "The faster we do it, the less prepared that Kanin is going to be for us."

Mikey watched her for a moment and turned to Tracie, "Thank you for offering. I would have said Amity, but I know she wouldn't stay behind either. Even if Leo tried to force her."

Tracie nodded again to him.

"If you want to hang around, Carson, we will all come down stairs and talk about the plan," Mikey offered and got up from his chair. He looked at Coral's head just over the top of the couch, "I will be right back. Got to get the group together and calm down by better half."

"Go to it, Mike," Carson said.

As Michelangelo got up from the table to climb the stairs, Tracie sat down in the seat next to Carson. She put her head in her hands and looked over at the couch.

Carson chuckled a little to himself, "You are one brave woman."

"Why do you say that?" she shifted her eyes to him.

"No one has held up against Delaney's stare down in quite a while- if ever," he said with a wave of his head, "Even grown men have been known to pee themselves."

"You are exaggerating."

"I do not," he shook his head, "When something means a lot to her, she can't be backed down. You seem like you will keep that promise."

"I will."

"Good, because if you don't I will be there to pick up the pieces, and I don't like cleaning up," Carson looked at the puppy now staring at the sleeping Klunk on the back of the couch, "She's a good kid. And Delaney's a good woman, a good partner. And if other's fail her, I won't."

"You love her, don't you?" Tracie asked and had Carson's head shift to face her.

"Not in the way you think," Carson chuckled good naturedly, "Maybe in another life time, but she loves Mike a different way than the way she loves me. And I return the friendly love. I could never be her lover."

"Why not? You get along well."

"It's more than getting along well," he got out of his chair, "It's about understanding and loving everything about the person. About wanting to be there for them not only in friendly gesture, but for all their lives. About thinking waking up next to them every morning for the rest of your life and looking forward to it. About being mad and still couldn't live without them. I'll always be her partner, but I don't have that bond with her. I never will."

Tracie stared at the man in front of her, "Have you ever found that in another woman? That lover love?"

"If I did, I would be married by now," Carson chuckled and held out a hand for her, "Come on, let's get you and Coral a little get to know each other time."

* * *

Delaney and Michelangelo watched from the top of the stairs as Carson and Tracie played and talked with Coral. True, Tracie definitely needed more work to understand children, but Carson was a good helper as he seemed to be part child himself.

"She's going to be in good hands while we're gone," Michelangelo said as he watched, "They will take care of her and give her back in one piece."

"I knew that he would eventually offer if no one stepped to the plate," Delaney said softly, "But she needs to learn some lessons, too. And if Coral doesn't teach them to her, Carson will by the looks of it."

"You aren't playing matchmaker, are you?" he grinned and hugged her from behind despite her shell.

"Maybe just a little," Delaney shrugged, "I think they both need it."

"You may be right," he stepped back and took her hand, "Come on, we got to talk to Leo."

"I know, got to go play hero…"

"Play nothing," Michelangelo laughed and held her hand as they walked through Leonardo's open door.


	21. Chp 20: Infiltration

**A/N**: Another chapter! Yay. Just two more to go for sure. At least that's what I've planned. Then I am going to start on another fandom that I have fallen in love with. I'm not quite sure when I will put it up, but it will be quite a while yet. But I promised that I would finish this and finish it I will. I don't know about my other partially finished fictions. But we will see. I would like to finish my POTC sequel, but I don't know if I will have enough motivation to do so. We will see. Enjoy!

**Chapter 20**: Infiltration

"So what exactly are you proposing here, Delaney?" Leonardo asked with Amity to his left. The whole family was present, except for Tracie and Rhonda who were distracting Coral in the dojo.

"It's pretty simple, Leo," Delaney said with Mikey to her side and Carson behind her, "There is no way to get to the lab legally and I can't exactly go public."

"None of us can," Eros reminded her.

"And Kanin is not going to stop trying to find us. She's too driven," Delaney sighed as a coming headache loomed in her immediate future, "We need to get into the compound, get the other out- especially Sandra- and expose Kanin."

"And how do we do that without tripping the mutant squad in there under her influence?" Callista asked before Raphael had a chance to.

"I think I may have a way to help us out there," Donatello said and turned to his computer. The rest of the group watched his fingers fly over the key board as he looked for the specific file, "I may not have ever single file of theirs on our side, but I have enough of them."

"Whatcha' got Donnie?" Delaney asked and leaned over his shoulder as the others waited patiently.

"I think if we- and meaning I- can hack into their mainframe, I can heard all the mutants that are on Kanin's side into a central area of the compound," he brought up a diagram of the compound on the large screen in the living room. He pointed to a large area in the middle of the compound, "There are no 'captured' mutants or hybrids in that area and they wouldn't be able to break through the security breach unless they were a genius."

"There are dozens of scientists down there, Donnie," Raphael said with a swipe of his hand.

"He's got a point," Delaney sighed.

"Then I would have to fight them brain against brain to keep the doors locked while getting you two out of there," he put his hand to his beak in thought.

"And what's wrong with that scenario?" Eros asked as she knew that look on his face.

"I would have to be here while doing it, and I am not going to let you guys go there without me," he sighed heavily and rubbed his head, "I can implement the program from here before we go, but I can't do anything from a portable device for very long in the compound as was seen with the shell cell."

"Well damn," Delaney rubbed a hand through her hair.

"I will do it," Amity took a step from where she was leaning on the couch.

"Amity?" Delaney asked and put a hand on her shoulder.

"As much as my heart pulls me to follow you, I don't think I see another alternative," Amity looked at her family and specifically at Leonardo, "I am the only other person in this lair that can read computers similar to Donatello. I am the best candidate and in a way I will be relieving you all about worrying about me during the extraction. My baby will be safe."

Leonardo pulled her to him and ran his hand over the top of her head, "I know how much courage that took."

"No you don't," she shook her head, "I remember what happened when Delaney stayed behind when Mikey got injured. Don't make me go through the after affects. Come back to me and our baby."

"I promise," he kissed her brow.

"Then that's one problem solved," Donatello looked at his oldest brother and Amity, "I will have to go over the algorithms and codes with you."

"That won't take long. I will have to give you the right frequency so that we can talk to one another for a good portion of the time if not through the whole operation," Amity turned to Delaney and Mikey, "Do you want me to take care of Coral for you?"

"Already taken care of," Delaney nodded, "Just focus on the plan and us in there. We'll need your full focus."

"You got it," Amity nodded.

"Are you sure about this, partner?" Carson asked from Delaney's side.

"You can't get any dirt on them good enough to put them away," Delaney shook her head, "We have to get Sandra out of there. Along with the other souls Kanin's stolen."

"Where are they going to stay?" Carson asked and looked around the lair, "I don't think you have enough room here."

"We will find some," Leonardo spoke up, "These mutants and hybrids went through a lot and I'm not going to stand by and wait while they suffer under Kanin. In a way they are our brothers and sisters. We can't leave them to fade away without being found."

"Well said, Leo," Raphael said from behind Callista who he was holding in front of him.

"Well, let's get this party moving," Michelangelo cracked his knuckles and looked down at Delaney.

"We leave in two hours," she looked at Donatello and Amity, "Will that give you two geniuses enough time to do your hacker thing?"

"And then some," Amity smiled as Donatello smiled.

"I'm staying here with Amity to look it over," Carson told Delaney with a shrug, "There isn't much I can do at the department about it other than worry."

"I guess so," Delaney hugged Carson, "We will give you the directions into the under facility once we're done."

"I plan on it," Carson nodded and watched as the group scattered. Raphael and Callista went to sharpen their weapons, Donatello and Amity stayed by the computer screen with their partners not too far away, and Michelangelo and Delaney headed straight for the dojo and Coral.

* * *

For the next two hours Delaney and Michelangelo spent time with Coral and Klunk in their room. They laughed and tried to forget about the upcoming rush on the facility. The day would cover their tails to a point since most of the scientists were going to be home. But they never knew about Kanin.

"'Laney?" Coral asked as she was cuddled between Delaney and Michelangelo on his bed.

"Yeah, baby girl?" she asked and played with the puppy's soft ears.

"Where you going?" she asked and looked at her and then at Michelangelo.

"Why do you think we are going anywhere?" Delaney tried to smile.

"I just know," Coral sniffed a little. She truly was a little puppy. They always seemed to know when their protectors or masters were leaving to go somewhere without them.

"We're just going to gone for a little while, dudette," Michelangelo picked her up above him to try and make her smile, "We'll be back. And Tracie is going to watch you."

"Not Am?" Coral cocked her head to the side.

"Amity has to do some very important work," Delaney explained, "Don't you like Tracie?"

Coral scrunched her nose, "Like 'Laney and Mikey better…"

"We like you better too," Michelangelo tossed her a little with his hands which made the little girl laugh.

"Correction, we love you very much," Delaney tapped the little puppy on her nose and Coral's tail wagged as she giggled. Coral shifted and fell against Michelangelo as she covered both Michelangelo's and Delaney's faces with licks.

* * *

As the group came into the main portion of the lair with weapons at their sides, Carson stood next to the computer equipment ready to assist Amity with anything that she may need. Amity hugged Leonardo around the neck and whispered something softly to him. He nodded and hugged her closer to him.

"I have something for the girls before we go," Michelangelo pulled a box from the side of the couch, "Coral thought of it. Or at least gave me the idea for it."

Inside the box were four bandanas just like the guys. Each girl grabbed the same color as their guys, just as they had with their dresses so long ago. Delaney grinned as she put hers on over her hair.

"Coral's idea, huh?" she asked.

"She asked why we wore them while you girls didn't and thought that it was unfair," he shrugged, "Thought that should be fixed."

"I like it," Callista pulled her mask tight over her eyes.

"So do I," Raphael said with a sly smirk.

"The program is ready," Donatello announced after Eros put on her mask, "It will take affect by the time we get there."

"Okay," Delaney nodded, "Are we ready?"

"'LANEY!" Coral ran into the room and right into Delaney's leg. She attached herself tightly with a few sniffles.

"Sorry," Tracie said from the doorway, "She wanted to say goodbye one more time."

Delaney gently pried the little girl from her leg and looked her in the eye, "We will be back. I promise you. Take care of Klunk for us, huh?"

Coral nodded her head as tears dropped down both sides of her muzzle.

Delaney hugged her and the Michelangelo hugged her tight and twirled her in a tight circle. Klunk rubbed against Delaney's leg as Michelangelo put Coral back down on the floor. Klunk walked from his masters to the little puppy and rubbed against her with a purr. Delaney and Michelangelo looked at one another and then back at the scene with a smile.

Amity gave Leonardo another kiss and put on the head phones that matched the set that Donatello had over his head, "Be careful."

"Always," he nodded.

The group moved out of the lair with a look back at the people that they were leaving behind.

Coral sat on the ground where she stood and Klunk walked onto her lap. Coral hugged Klunk lightly around his neck and put her forehead to his fur with a soft smile, "Good kitty."

* * *

The facility was very quiet when they arrived. They noticed the lack of vehicles outside the buildings and saw that a few of them belonged to people that took advantage of the free parking that was available. Donatello looked through a sky light into a portion of the compound not too far from where the main cages were set.

"How's it going there, Donnie?" Delaney asked and looked through the window at a switch to the left.

"Three, two, one…" he counted down and the switch clicked from red to green and the skylight opened, "Piece of cake."

"And the cameras?" Raphael asked as he watched Callista jump in after him.

"Are off as we go," Donatello clicked on the head phones, "Can you hear me, Amity?"

"Crystal clear, Don," Amity's voice came over the headpiece, "The program is working smoothly. Lead the way. From the camera feed that I see, Sandra is in the same room you found us in. The hostel mutants don't even know your there, yet."

"Yet," Donatello nodded and lead the way for the rest of them.

As the group made their way through the halls silently, the camera feed was interrupted and played empty halls instead of the group of giant turtles. It didn't take them more than ten minutes to find the large room where the girls first were. Many of the hybrids and mutants were sleeping on the floor of their cages since their captor had gone home for the day. Delaney scanned the cages and found the cheetah in the back corner facing away from the front of the cage.

"Sandra," Delaney whispered and gripped the cage's bars and tried again, "Sandra? Can you hear me?"

"We'll open the other cages and start to get the others out," Raphael announced and grabbed a set of keys each while he and Callista went from cage to cage, getting the mutants and hybrids out quietly. They were happy to see that all of them were older than Coral which meant that they would be more accommodating with staying quiet.

"Sandra," Delaney moved along the bars with Michelangelo right behind her.

"You shouldn't have come back fro me, detective," Sandra said in a sad tone, "Please take the others and get out of here while you can."

"Not without you," Delaney looked at Callista who finished with her last cage, "Cal, the keys."

Callista tossed the keys to her friend and helped Raphael group the captured together. Eros explained what was happening and most of the captive began to smile. Dontello kept watch and hacked into the system from a computer on the far wall. Delaney worked on the door and got it open with very little trouble compared to the last time she worked on the locks.

"Sandra, come on," Delaney opened the door wide and looked at Sandra as she stayed in her spot.

"You don't understand," Sandra looked at her with tears in her eyes, "They have him. They have my John. I can't just leave him to them. I am going to do what they say. Leave me here so I can do what I can."

"What you can do is fight," Delaney knelt next to her, "Don't give up."

"I'd rather die then to see him mutated and made into…" she looked at her own hands that were more paws than anything else, "… into this."

"Then we will get him out too," Delaney held out her hand to Sandra, "I don't abandon my friends. We will get him out too."

"And how do you know?"

"Trust me," Delaney stood up with her hand still stretched out to her, "And found you through this mess."

"We get him before we leave," Sandra insisted.

"You got it."

* * *

In an apartment at the edge of town a computer began to beep insistently. A feminine figure appeared around the doorway from the bathroom in a light colored robe. She smiled a little as she looked at the screen.

"I didn't think that it would take you long to come back," Kanin smiled and opened up the hacking alert from her compound, "I think it is time for some of my pets to get some exercise."

* * *

"Guys we need to hurry this up here," Donatello said from the computer screen at the side of the room. He typed at it furiously as it blocked him out. He pushed the side of his headset to talk with Amity, "Amity…"

"I'm on it," Amity said and worked furiously at the keyboard while Carson watched the camera screens. It seemed like an alarm went off in the room with the mutants loyal to Kanin. They rushed toward the door which wouldn't open for them even though they banged at it.

"Good catch, Amity."

"That won't hold them for long," Amity kept typing and looking over the planned diagram, "Kanin must be on the other side of this. Thank goodness we can at least divert them. Donnie, you got to get them all out of there now."

"Got it," Dontello looked back at the group of twenty some mutants plus his family, "They're alerted, we need to move now."

"We have to get John!" Sandra yelled and pryed herself from Delaney's grip.

"We have one more, Donnie," Delaney looked at the purple turtle.

"There is another holding room just a little further up the way we are going," he said, "He must be in there."

"I hope you are right," Delaney said and stayed toward the back of the group with Leonardo, Sandra and Michelangelo.

"Raph, you and the girls lead the way out. I showed you earlier," Donatello said and Raphael began to run with the group behind him.

Eros quickly looked at Donatello, "And what are you going to do?"

"I got to help the four in the back get into the room for Professor Grayden."

"Okay," Eros nodded worriedly after giving him a kiss and followed Callista and Raphael closely.

"Leo?" Donatello looked at the back of the group.

"Raphael can get them out without my help," Leonardo stated and looked at Sandra, "You'll need the most getting her out, I think."

"Possibly," Donatello agreed and the four of them went down a second hall toward a doorway where they could definitely hear yelling. He pressed the headset and communication to Amity, "How are we going?"

Amity looked at the screen, " They are through the first door and heading for block two."

"Got it," Donatello began to work at the doorway in front of him, "I need access to 23-B25."

"You got it," Amity said and watched as they went into the doorway and a struggling man in a cage to the side of the room. She looked at the camera focused on the mutants and their track to find them.

"They look mean," Carson noticed of the wolf pack.

"They are," Amity continued to pound at the keyboard.

Carson grabbed his jacket and began to walk toward the exit.

"Where are you going?" Amity asked her eyes on the screens.

"That's my partner and her family in there," he pointed to the screens, "I'm going to make sure the Calvary is ready just in case she needs it."

"Just make sure the Calvary doesn't go after my family, Carson," Amity warned.

He paused and looked at where Tracie and Rhonda looked into the room with Coral by their side. Carson looked back, "I will."


	22. Chp 21: Final Fight

**Chapter 21**: Final Fight

Donatello led the group into the smaller holding room and turned on the light cautiously since he wouldn't put it past Kanin that she had the room booby- trapped. He scanned the room and saw Professor Grayden in the corner cage with his hands wrapped around the bars. He looked distrustfully at Donatello and the others as they followed into the room.

"You can tell your creator that I still refuse to work under her for whatever purposes she may have," he growled and looked over the group which seemed to be comprised of three males and a female turtle.

The female looked at him and walked calmly up to the cage he was in, "My creator can only be reached by prayer and I doubt that I would view him as strictly her, Professor Grayden."

"I know that voice from somewhere," the Professor's face turned thoughtful and curious, "I have heard it at least once."

"And it definitely wasn't in this body," Delaney smiled a little as she heard the door close behind her. Sandra must have followed them in and made sure not to leave an open door as opportunity for Kanin's pets to find them.

John Grayden thought to himself and then his eyes brightened for a moment before they dimmed considerably, "Detective Chasin."

"Bingo," Delaney waved at him from her side of the bars, "I am sorry that it was a bit of a shock for my family to come in her and rattle your cage, as it were."

"Did Kanin do this to you?" he asked and watched as Donatello tapped the computer at the side of the cage. Delaney nodded an affirmative as Michelangelo handed her a ring of keys, "She's done this to others then. She's gone insane."

"You just now notice this?" Delaney chuckled a bit and found the right key. She unlocked the door at the same time that she could hear a copy of Amity's voice over the headset over Donatello's head. Delaney opened the door and watched Grayden carefully exit while keeping a good eye on Michelangelo and Leonardo who stood next to the door just in case visitors showed up, "What's Amity say?"

"We don't have much time, but the rest of the mutants are on their way back. Eros and Callista are leading them through the sewers at this point. Raphael is on his way back," Donatello turned from the computer obviously frustrated with the system.

"We that's good," Delaney nodded and looked at Mikey, "I guess this time it is going to be a smooth adventure."

As soon as she spoke an alarm began to sound in the room they were in and lights began to go off as a large metal click locked the large door they had just come through. Mikey looked at her with a raised eye ridge.

"I know, I know… I just had to say it," Delaney groaned, "Though, in my defense, I have no wood to knock upon in here."

"The mutants are moving quickly," Donatello reported from his headset, "They will be here in a few minutes."

"Any other exits?"

"The vent system?" Donatello asked with a shrug, "This is a very well set up room. There really isn't a second exit option."

"Not good for fires, is it?" Mikey asked and tapped on one of the walls.

"The mutants will have to open the doors to get to us," Leonardo looked at the door, "We need them to open it for us to get through."

"Which means a fight, doesn't it?" Delaney put a hand over her new weapon, "What about Raph? Can't he open it from that side?"

"Amity can't even re-open it from her position in the system," Donatello put out on the table.

"Okay, that's a bad thing," Delaney sighed and looked at the professor, "I am guessing that you don't know how to fight."

"You have guessed correctly," Grayden nodded.

"And what about you, Sandra?" Delaney asked into the far corner of the room which seemed to stay dark.

"Sandra?" Professor Grayden took a few steps forward and tried to look into the shadows, "My Sandra, why don't you come out?"

"I think that you will only fear me," Sandra started and sounded like she was going to cry, "The way I am… is not your Sandra you remember."

"You are still my Sandra what ever Kanin did to you."

"You've called me a monster before," Sandra slowly took a few steps into the lighting in the room, "What's stopping you from running now?"

He looked at her for a moment and remembered her from all the times that Kanin tried to convince him that she was Sandra. He carefully took her hand where he knew there were claws and looked her deep in her eyes. He searched there for a moment and sighed sadly.

"So it was you. I am so sorry, my Sandra," he apologized and put a hand to her cheek, "Forgive me for not seeing past this."

"I didn't want you to," she shook her head, "If you did… you would have done anything to get me back. I didn't want her to drag you into it any more than what she had."

"I still love you," he said immediately and her shocked eyes looked up at him, "No matter what happens, if I am able to fix this or not, I love you."

She smiled and quickly embraced him.

"This is rather touching and all, dude and dudette, but we got problems coming," Michelangelo pointed to the locked door where he could hear a dozen mutants coming down the hallway.

"In answer to your previous question, detective," Sandra turned to Delaney, "I can fight and I will with all that I can."

"Good, because you may have to," Delaney nodded.

The door clicked and all of the turtles gripped at their weapons when the door opened and the pack of wolves stared in at them. The leader stepped forward and smelled the air as he looked at the two professors. The then turned his head to the group of turtles and looked directly at Leonardo.

"You came back," the leader spoke and narrowed his eyes at Leonardo who shifted his katanas slightly, "You are truly loyal."

"That's what friends and family do," Leonardo answered and watched the pack leader closely.

"Family?" the leader tilted his head.

"Yes, family," Leonardo nodded, "These mutants and hybrids. We were all made by the same substance. We are all a part of one another. Therefore we are family. Whether we asked for it or not."

"Then that makes _us_ family," the wolf agreed with the statements and growled a little bit in frustration. He still had to follow his mistress's words, "Are you to fight against your own brothers and sisters then?"

"If I have to," Leonardo sighed sadly, "I will fight if that is what it takes to protect the rest of my family from the one you serve."

"Even if she is the one to have made this family you speak of?"

"For her own profit," Delaney spoke from behind Leonardo, "She wasn't trying to make a family. She was trying to make an army to do her bidding. To make a scientific finding even if she was to hurt you or your pack."

His ears lowered just slightly.

"How many in your pack didn't survive the mutation or the experiments?" she asked.

"I still must do as she says," he shook his head and a few more of his pack filed into the room with them.

"Then so be it, brother," Leonardo brought out his katanas to his sides.

"You have five that are willing to fight and a human," the pack leader growled, "And we are over twice as strong in number. What do you think it will accomplish?"

"They don't have just five," a voice called from the other end of the hallway from the end of the pack. There, seen through the pack of wolves was Raphael twirling his sais, "Make it six."

"Seven," Callista took a deep breath as she took a step out beside Raphael.

"Eight," Eros fell in behind her.

"I told you to stay with the mutants," Callista hissed at her.

Eros shook her head, "My boy is in there. I am not going to just leave him. Besides, Rhonda caught up with them just after you left and I followed you here."

"That still only makes eight to twelve," the pack leader pointed out, "You are still out numbered, brother."

"It doesn't matter on the number," Leonardo reminded him and looked at all three of his brothers in sequence, "It is the heart of the warrior and how he uses his skill."

"So be it," the leader howled and the fight began.

The battle began quickly and in a flurry of action. Both Callista and Raphael went after two wolves each, shell to shell. They smiled and laughed as they clashed sais and Kusari-gama against fangs and claws of the wolves. Eros back flipped away from her opponent and took out her tessens in time to catch the wolves claws from coming down on her side. She pushed him back and kicked her in the face as she jumped back. Leonardo kept his duel against the leader of the pack. If he was able to take him down, he may be able to get the other wolves of the pack to back off from the rest of his family. Michelangelo and Delaney each had their hands full with two other males who fought well. Delaney extended out her chigiriki and hit the wolf back a few steps while Michelangelo tripped his attacker back to the floor. Donatello was keeping two wolves busy at his side of the lab with his bo staff. Sandra on the other hand had the remaining two wolves trying to get to her fiancé.

"Give us the human and you will not face any injury, sister," they asked and lunged forward as she slashed out with her claws which shown a little under the lights of the compound.

"You are not my siblings if you are trying to take away my mate," Sandra said with a feline growl at the back of her throat.

"He is not like us."

"It does not matter!" she yelled and hit one of the wolves in the muzzle when he got too close. The wolf howled and the other took the opportunity to catch Sandra around the waist with its jaws and she yelled in pain.

"Sandra!" Grayden yelled and reached out to his fiancée as the wolf with the bleeding muzzle reached for him. Suddenly its wrist was caught in a chain and he looked back at Delaney who had just finished with the male wolf she was fighting with earlier.

"Back off," she said and pulled back on the chain to pull off the wolf that was leaning over the human professor. When that one was on the floor Delaney hit the one that was over Sandra with the mace end of her kusari-gama. The wolf tumbled off of the cheetah hybrid and wobbled to the side of the room where it pawed at its wounds. Delaney looked at Grayden, "Check on Sandra. The other one wants to get back up."

Delaney ran toward the one she pulled away from Grayden and kicked it back down in the stomach.

Grayden crawled to Sandra and noticed the puncture marks on her stomach and the blood that now covered the fur on her midsection. He ran his hands over her fur a few inches from where the blood flowed and he knew that it wasn't good. He may be a professor, but he didn't take many medical classes during his PhD in Chemistry.

"Sandra, love," he whispered and she looked at him with a weak smile, "Still always smiling."

"Only for you on my worst days," she whimpered and hissed at some of the pain as she tried to move.

"Don't move," he shook his head. He moved to hold her comfortably. Some how he had faith that the turtles were going to win this battle against Kanin and her mutants, but he had less faith in helping his own fiancée. He put his nose into her hair and closed his eyes as he remembered his Sandra, "Why did you do that?"

"I would do anything for you," she said with the small smile still on her face.

"Maybe I should have let her change me into some kind of animal. Then I would have protected you. That's what a husband is supposed to do for his wife," he gritted his teeth and continued to watch the fight while keeping a tight hold of Sandra. He wanted to put some kind of pressure on the wounds as he assumed that was the way to stop the bleeding. Every time he turned to do so, she turned away from him.

"Don't you ever think like that, John," she whispered and began to purr a little in the feeling of his hand in hers when she reached it toward him, "I never wanted you to change. Not even for me. Never do."

"Don't you talk like you are going to die," he whispered to her with tears in his eyes, "You can't die."

"All things die, love," she reminded him, "None of your chemicals can change that."

They both looked at the fighting and saw that the wolves were beginning to tire. Sandra squeezed his hand, "Promise you will find a way to cure them."

"What?" he looked down at her as her eyes drifted a little.

"Promise me…" she breathed shallowly.

"I… Sandra…"

"Promise me!" she hissed.

"I promise," he said with a tear along his cheek.

"I love you," she closed her eyes and her grip in his loosened.

"Sandra!" Grayden shook her shoulder and couldn't get her to open her eyes again, "Detective Chasin!"

Delaney turned toward the distraught man with the bleeding Sandra. The wolf she had on the ground whipped her feet out from under her and landed her on her shell. It leapt at her about ready to bite at her throat when Michelangelo tackled it from the side. He knocked the beast out with a nunchukus to the head and stood up from the tackle.

"That is my girl, dude," Michelangelo looked back at Delaney and helped her from the floor, "You okay?"

"I am," she nodded and looked at the scratches she had along her arms and legs and yelled across the room, "Cal! We need some of that medical expertise."

"Comin'!" an answer yelled back and Callista ran through the crowd of wolves and turtles. The four wolves that she and Raphael were fighting were down to two. One tried to follow her while Raphael kicked him from behind and shook his head.

"Where you think you're goin'?" he smirked and readied his sais again.

Callista knelt down to the side of Sandra and Delaney could already tell by her face that it wasn't good news. Callista checked her vital points and looked at the amount of blood that she had lost. She shook her head and looked at Delaney and then at Grayden.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly and got up from the ground.

"That's all you can do?!" he yelled up at her and she looked away.

"With something like that, it's all I can do, yeah," she nodded and walked toward the fight that was dying down.

Leonardo finally had the leader down on the ground with a katana to his throat, "Your pack is defeated."

"We are," he nodded, "I submit."

Eros smiled and ran toward Donatello who hugged her close despite the cut on his thigh and forearm. Both Callista and Raphael wiped their hands on the side of their shells and then turned their head to the side.

Raphael quickly came toward Callista and the others over the unconscious or injured bodies of the wolves, "Leo, I think we have more company."

"Then bring it," Delaney gritted her teeth and looked down at Sandra. She gripped her Kusari-gama and looked at the doorway.

She then heard it. The footfalls of dozens of shoes hit the ground and she saw a good amount of flashlights on the walls, even though there really was no need of them. She and others were ready to fight once again until she saw who turned the corner.

"Carson!" she breathed in relief.

A dozen armed officers came in behind Carson and took out their guns to point at her and the others. Carson's eyes bugged and he turned toward the other officers with his arms out.

"Stand down!" he yelled back at the other officers, "They aren't the threat. I think they just took the threat out."

"The Calvary a little late, partner," Delaney smiled and came up to him a little out of breath.

"I guess so," he rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry about that."

"Chasin?" another detective looked at her from behind Carson.

"Hey Johnson," she waved, "We all need to be briefed. And we need a van."

"What kind of van?" Carson looked past her to the room inside.

"Coroner," Delaney looked back sadly at Grayden who still held Sandra to him.

As the turtles looked at the officers and the officers took their first look at living urban legends, Leonardo leaned over to Donatello and took the headset off of his head. He put the earpiece to the side of his head and the microphone to his beak.

"Amity, we're coming back soon. Carson just showed up," he reported, "Tell the others."

* * *

In an apartment at the edge of town a woman sat in her robe with a bottle of whiskey in one hand. The lights outside of her apartment shown in red and blue. She knew by the camera footage that it was over. They had already arrested Grinford if his earlier call told her anything. She was next. All her work, destroyed. Her life, over. Maybe she should have taken the ooze herself. Then maybe she would be able to fly away.

"Professor Kanin?" an officer walked into her living room as she left the door open.

"I'm guessing cuffs are in order," she said softly and stood up with her hands out to them with wrists up, "And I was so hoping for a victory for my pets."


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**:

Delaney was surprised that she could still trace some light scabs on her legs from some of the deeper gashes. It had been a good two months since their rush on the facility and the sentencing of Kanin and Grinford. She smiled at the thought as she repositioned her legs up on the living room table while a folder laid over her lap. She breathed out another frustrated sigh as she stared back at the new case and blew some of her hair out of her face.

"Something troubling you?" Michelangelo looked over her shoulder at the file in her lap, "Not another case, hon."

"Chief needs my help," she shrugged and closed the case log, "But I guess you're right."

"You need to worry about this file more right now," he put a wedding planning book on her lap, "You're still on vacation."

"I second that," Carson said as he entered the lair. Delaney looked up from her comfortable position and chuckled as Michelangelo handed over the missing file to her partner. He looked over the paper work inside to make sure everything was there and then scowled playfully at his partner, "I still don't know how you take these without my knowing."

"I'm a ninja," she reminded him, "I can do just about anything."

"Right…" he rolled his eyes. He then cleared his throat and then looked toward the entrance to the lair where another person walked in, "Speaking of anything."

"Good evening, Detective Chasin," Professor Grayden nodded his head to her and then to Michelangelo.

"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Delaney?" she asked and stood up from her comfortable position.

"A few more, I'm afraid," he chuckled light heartedly, "Are all members of the household here? I have an announcement that I think they would all like to hear."

"Yo! Dudes, Dudettes! Professor has some news!" Michelangelo yelled up the stairs to the top portion of the lair.

"I think they heard you in China, dear," Delaney poked at her ear and looked at the Professor, "What about the other mutants and hybrids at the shelter? Are they going to hear the news? I am thinking it concerns the mutagen, right?"

"They already know," Grayden nodded. The rest of the rescued mutants were put into a shelter away from prying eyes. The media caught on to the facility and the mutants that were the result of Kanin's experiments. The last month has been up and down on the way the world was taking the new species.

Grayden saw the rest of the turtles come down the stairs in pairs. He noticed fairly quickly that one of the female turtles had something in her arms. He titled his head to get a better look. He gasped at the bundle, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah, Amity laid an egg a couple of days ago," Delaney chuckled a little under her breath, "It was a bit of a surprise. Donatello told us that it was part of the turtle DNA that we have. We may all have eggs at one point or another. Or live births. We don't know until it happens."

"I see," Grayden went up to Leonardo and Amity and shook Leonardo's hand, "Congratulations."

"Thank you," the proud father beamed and Amity rolled her eyes as his smile.

"Are you incubating it?"

"No, just following my instincts in keeping it a certain temperature with my body or blankets," Amity smiled and rotated the egg in her arms, "It's a mother thing, I guess."

"Told you that you would be a good mom," Delaney poked her in the side.

"It's becoming a zoo down here," Raphael groaned and looked at the two humans right by his soon to be niece or nephew.

"You said it," Callista lazily leaned on him.

"It's okay, I don't mind more faces in here," Eros smiled as she was hugged by Donatello from behind. Donatello just hummed an affirmative into her hair.

"Where's Coral?" Carson asked and looked at Delaney and Mikey.

"She's around her playing with Tracie," Delaney smiled. No sooner as she said something Klunk ran out from around a corner with a puppy on his tail and a fox hybrid after her.

Tracie grabbed up Coral and walked toward the group, "We heard the page."

"I see that," Delaney giggled and grabbed Coral from Tracie and twirled her in a circle.

Coral laughed and hugged Delaney tight.

"So what's the news from top side?" Donatello asked intrigued that they professor made his way down.

"I made a promise to Sandra before she died," Professor Grayden had a far off look in his eyes and then turned back to the group, "I promised her that I would find a way to reverse the mutagen."

"And?" Tracie asked with hope shining in her eyes.

"And I found one," he pulled out a purple colored small vile, "It's simple and quick acting. Some of the other hybrids and mutants have already taken it. They are half way human again."

"This is wonderful!" Tracie smiled and clapped her hands together again, "I can be a human again!"

"If that is what you would like, yes," Grayden nodded, "Your friend Rhonda has already taken it and her arms are almost normal despite a few extra stray feathers."

She smiled and looked at the turtles and the girls thinking that she would see more smiles, but the girls just looked confused, "Girls? Aren't you excited?"

"Delaney?" Michelangelo looked at her. Her eyes were focused on Coral who was wagging her tail at Tracie's happiness, but didn't fully understand why she was so happy. Delaney put her head to Coral's which made the puppy lick her face in a kiss.

"I don't want it," Delaney said suddenly and looked at the professor, "Thank you for all that you have done and the difference that you will make for the mutants and hybrids that will take it… but I don't want it."

"Delaney, you can be normal again," Michelangelo said and put a hand on her shell, "Are you sure?"

"Who needs to be normal?" she smiled at him, "It's not important. What's important is that I made a difference in people's lives as a detective and I can still. I mean the chief still has my position for me no matter what and somebody has got to take care of Caron's ass to make sure he doesn't get shot-"

"Hey!"

"- And family is important. I have you. We're going to get married. And I have the best little girl in my arms right now," she rubbed the edge of her beak with Coral's nose, "And I have my family that will be by my side and they have me on theirs no matter what they decide. What I look like doesn't make who I am. _I_ am who I am regardless."

"And I love you all the more for it," he hugged both her and Coral in his arms and kissed her gently. He looked back at Grayden, "I guess she's not taking it."

"Neither am I," Amity said from beside Leonardo with the egg in her arms, "My little one needs a mother who could understand them. Inside and out. And I may be sacrificing some things, but it is worth it. My family is worth it."

Leonardo hugged her close and kissed her head, "So be it."

"Ah, who needs pink skin anyway?" Callista rolled her eyes and leaned further back against Raphael, "I looked better in green and red anyway. I can always design in the sewers. Have before. Besides, now I can have a tough hide on the outside just like what I have inside."

Raphael only chuckled behind her.

"Eros?" Delaney turned to her friend. For the longest time her looks meant a lot to her. She could have them back. Eros thought as she looked at her hands and then looked back at Donatello.

"It's your choice," he told her, "I will love you regardless."

"I…" she looked back at her hands and then at her family, "I refuse to be labeled by what I look like anymore. I am staying the way I am."

"Good for you," Delaney smiled.

"There are others who have refused," Grayden said softly, "There will be hard paths ahead for you and them. But I think you all have a very good chance."

"I think so too," Delaney nodded.

* * *

Delaney shrugged a little as a wet nose kept sniffing right by her face. Delaney opened one eye to see Coral's face right in front of hers as she laid precariously on the ledge of Michelangelo's loft bed.

"Morning!" she smiled big for her adopted mother.

"Morning, baby girl," she smiled and turned only to be stilled by Michelangelo's hand around her side. She smiled and ran her hand over his to feel the large gold ring that was over his finger and then looked over to see her other hand that also had a ring as well. It did happen that Carson's dad was a reverend turned out to be a good thing. Michelangelo groaned against her in protest of waking up.

"Morning, husband," she patted him on his leg and looked over the side of the bed where Coral was carefully climbing down, "Remind me to remind you to get a lower bed."

"Hm," he moaned into the pillow before he yawned and sat up with her.

"Come on!" Coral yelled from the side of the bed, "They're waiting!"

"Who's waiting, honey?" Michelangelo asked as he helped Delaney down from the bed.

"Uncle Leo and Am! The baby's waiting too!"

Once Delaney got to the ground she and Michelangelo looked at each other in the eyes and laughed. They ran toward the stairs with Michelangelo grabbing Coral on the way. They looked over the railing where the rest of the family was down in the living room with Amity holding the moving egg in her hands.

"About time," Amity laughed up at Delaney.

"Sorry, had to wake up," she smiled brightly.

The egg rumbled in her hands and Coral sat on Michelangelo's lap as she watched the egg's shell crack a little and move in her Aunt's arms.

"Where's Carson?" Delaney asked with a swipe at her brow.

"Out pick up Tracie from her new job at the mutant shelter, they will be down as soon as they can," Eros answered and shut her shell cell from a call, "They say to say hi to the new bundle if they don't make it down in time."

Suddenly the shell cracked along the top and a piece fell to the floor when a brown eye peeked up at its parents. Delaney and Eros squealed in delight as Amity and Leonardo both helped their baby out from its shell. The top of its head had a dark brown tint to it where very short, dark baby hairs were sprouting. The shell seemed a little soft and fitted to curve of the baby's back, but it was too soon to tell if that was a trait that it would have, or if the shell would fill out later. It looked at all the people around it and let out a gurgle like a small cry when it set its eyes on Amity and was quiet.

"Aw, she knows you're her mama," Eros cooed.

"A boy," Amity corrected and pointed it out. She cuddled the baby who cooed back at her and then handed him over to his father, "Here Leo. Say hello to your son."

"Hey there Jacob," he said quietly as little hands reached up to touch his face. He looked at everyone else and laughed a little in surprise, "I'm a father."

"I looks like it," Delaney smiled.

"Baby…" Coral leaned toward the bundle in Leonardo's arms. She sniffed at the head of the baby and then looked at the young face. She giggled and sat back against Michelangelo before looking up at him, "Daddy?"

"Yup?" Michelangelo smiled proudly at the name that Coral had bestowed on him once he and Delaney got back from the facility the last time over six months prior.

"Is our baby going to look like that?" she pointed at who she would later consider her young cousin. Michelangelo's cheeks reddened and looked to Delaney for help.

"Our baby will be a lot like your cousin," Delaney nodded and patted her stomach where a small lump was starting to show. She was a few months into the pregnancy now and it looked like she wasn't going to lay an egg like Amity had. She thought that the concentration of mutagen in Mikey's blood was a little less than what it was in Leonardo's.

"Our baby is gonna be cute," Coral giggled and crawled into Delaney's lap to talk to the lump in Delaney's belly. Delaney laughed with her and hugged her close.

"So what next?" Raphael asked from his side of the circle as he looked at the baby from his view point. Callista leaned over to look over the bundle with Eros next to her.

"Whatever may come," Leonardo shrugged, "I look forward to it."

"At least we know, we aren't walking alone anymore," Michelangelo hugged his girls to him and the family began to plan for the new faces to come.

**A/N**: So this is the last to-do. It has been quite a journey, that took me too long to finish. Thank you again to all those who asked me to continue and finish this. I hope I did well for you and that the ending fit. Happy reading, as always.


End file.
